


We Should Be

by iyouleeknow



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anxiety, Blood and Injury, Confessions, Enemies to Friends, Explicit Language, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, Infidelity, Lee Minho | Lee Know is Whipped, M/M, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Vomiting, title is from dear love - hyunsik
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 56,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28597437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iyouleeknow/pseuds/iyouleeknow
Summary: Sometime between the age of fourteen and sixteen the hum would begin. Jisung had never really minded the hum itself. So long as it was there, it hadn’t happened and he could forget that all this soulmate business even existed.When Jisung connects, his life was supposed to be over. He wasn't supposed to fall for the boy in his head, he was simply supposed to be making it through college....The soulmate/ college au in which Jisung accidentally gets a soulmate and a boyfriend. He just hasn’t quite figured out that they’re the same person.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Juyeon (The Boyz), Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin, Seo Changbin/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 138





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Essentially, I saw that tiktok trend where your soulmate can hear when you're listening to music and got far too carried away. 
> 
> (the one chapter that has violence will contain a warning at the beginning) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Jisung grabbed his shirt from where he had slung it over the back of his chair, pushing his arms through the sleeves while simultaneously trying to stuff his feet into his shoes. He often pushed his luck a little with the time he showed up for his shift at the cafe, but the fact that he was already seven… no, eight minutes late, and he hadn’t even left was pushing it even for him. His stomach clenched as his fingers caught in the end of his right sleeve, fumbling to catch the end of the material in his other fist.

“Shit” Jisung whispered to himself, leaning back against his bedroom wall, his heart pounding.

He released the bundled up end of his sleeve, holding his free hand beneath to catch the thick silver band that tumbled out. He’d pushed the ring off his finger in his hurry and didn’t want to consider what would have happened if he hadn’t caught it. He certainly didn’t have the time to go scrambling under his bed to retrieve it, but there was also no way he would have left without the band firmly on his finger.

The metal was cold in his palm, and Jisung found himself staring at it transfixed for a moment. With another glance at the clock, he swallowed thickly and jammed the ring back on the ring finger of his right hand, pushing his hair back off his forehead and taking a deep breath.

He made quick work of pulling his shirt the rest of the way on, and putting his shoes on properly, forgoing any ideas of actually styling his hair that morning and ruffling it with his fingers once more. Jisung grabbed the strap of his backpack and swung it over his shoulder, heading towards the door.

Patting his pockets to check he had picked up his keys and phone, he cast a quick glance around the apartment on the way, checking for anything he might have forgotten. Autumn was approaching and it was already getting a little colder. Jisung thought of the small space heater Chan had loaned him last winter as he locked the door behind him, and tried to remember which cupboard he had shoved it into when the apartment had become habitable again without it.

Within three minutes, he was down the stairs of his apartment building, and doing something of an awkward half jog, half walk up the street towards the cafe where he worked. Jisung would bend his technical start time by a few minutes, mostly to get a rise out of Changbin, but this was pushing it and he knew Chan would most likely be worrying that he hadn’t turned up yet. Jisung considered texting him, but by the time he’d got his phone out and sent the message, he’d pretty much be there anyway.

Luckily, it was a short walk, especially if he took the shortcut beside Mr Yoo’s convenience store. Jisung wasn’t actually sure who owned the store, or if it had a real name, but everyone in the neighbourhood knew that you could always find Mr Yoo and his guitar on a small step outside, no matter the weather. He didn’t have time to spare the man any money today, but still sent him a smile as he careened round the corner and broke into a full run down the empty alleyway.

His fist tightened around the strap of his backpack as he reached the other end, slowing again to weave between people on the crowded street. It was the morning rush, which made Jisung feel all the more guilty that his two friends were likely dealing with a fair queue of people on their own. He really needed to start using an alarm.

Jisung’s thumb moved to feel the reassuring band of metal around his finger. He thought back to the night before, his feet stuffed under Chan’s thigh as they sat on his sofa, Jisung scribbling down ideas for lyrics in his bulging blue notebook.

“Doesn’t it ever get annoying?” he’d asked the older boy at one point, nodding towards Chan’s hand when he received a confused look.

“The Hum” Jisung clarified, raising his hands to make finger quotes around the words.

Chan curled his bare hand into fist where it lay on his laptop keyboard and shook his head. “I’m used to it,” he replied with a small shrug.

 _The Hum_. It had begun seventeen years ago, when Jisung was only four years old, so he didn’t exactly remember the chaos and confusion that had ensued, but he had heard about it. Everyone knew the date, September 21st, some people even celebrated it like a holiday. The day the world had changed. There were skeptics of course, rumours that it was all some big ploy by tech companies, or the government’s way of developing even more control over the population, but as time went on, it became accepted. Normal. Soulmates were a real thing.

Sometime between the age of fourteen and sixteen _the hum_ would begin. There were a lot of names for the sensation, but that was the most common and most fitting. It was like static, like trying to find the correct radio station, a light buzzing. It was softer than that however, less metallic, more like the sound of silence intensified until the quiet itself became a tangible sound.

Jisung had never really minded _the hum_ itself. It was about the volume of a laptop whirring, not his mind you, that was five years old and barely holding onto life, but a decent one. White noise that you couldn’t really hear unless you thought about it. It had used to help him sleep, on the nights he actually spent in his own bed. When he didn’t crash at a friend’s, or in the back room of the cafe where Changbin would pull out one of the large blankets that had mysteriously materialised after Jisung had slept there the first few times and set up camp on one of the other sofas. If Chan had figured out why he was sometimes the last one to show up for work, even on mornings he was scheduled to open up, he never brought it up.

The existence of _the hum_ was a good thing. So long as it was there, it hadn’t happened and Jisung could forget that all this soulmate business even existed. That was how it worked. Once _the hum_ began, you were stuck with it until you connected. Until that fateful day when a song began to play in your head as though through a pair of headphones you weren’t wearing, a jingle on TV perhaps, or a busker they had passed on the street. Whenever your soulmate could hear music, so could you, and thus bore the plot of every song, tv show and movie for the next five years. Divorce rates skyrocketed, as did the popularity of reality shows documenting soulmates' first meetings, or those torn between their partner and whoever the universe had deemed their true love. There was even one American singer who had topped the charts for seven straight months, churning out songs with useful lyrics that could be played to get to know the mystery person you were destined to be with.

Eventually, things had calmed down and a new normal had taken over people’s lives. The rings had been created to give back some control and privacy, effectively blocking both _the hum_ and your soulmate so long as you wore it.

It had even become trendy to not try to find your soulmate, with studies finding that eighty percent of people would cross paths with their soulmate naturally, and in thirty percent of cases it was somebody they already knew. Like anything, however, beliefs and trends varied and evolved and the way everyone dealt with their connection was different. Connection happened for ninety percent of people, and for the rest _the hum_ usually stopped by the age of forty. Jisung hoped for once that luck was not on his side, even if it meant dealing with _the hum_ for another twenty years.

Even thinking about connecting made Jisung feel more than a little nauseous. It had even led to a full blown panic attack during one Biology class that he had never lived down. Jisung pushed the memory from his mind and shoved his hands into his pockets as the green sign of the cafe came into sight. The feel of the ring around his finger felt like an anchor, a reassuring weight that kept him grounded. It blocked _the hum_ , and with it the anxiety of the sound suddenly going away, or worse being replaced by something else, and everything that would mean.

Letting himself in the back door, Jisung shoved his backpack into his locker and almost jumped out of his skin as he turned to be met with Changbin, his eyebrows raised and an unimpressed expression on his face.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he asked, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning on and throwing Jisung’s apron at his chest.

“Were you worried?” Jisung smiled, lifting the apron over his head and moving towards the door of the break room.

Changbin hummed, grabbing the strings of Jisung’s apron and tying them around the back of the other boy as they walked. “More worried that Chan might lose it if he has to make one more iced drink this morning” he replied, “you know the blender doesn’t like him once he gets stressed”.

“What’s he stressed about?” Jisung rolled his eyes as he reached the counter, seeing the aforementioned boy trying to get the blender to attach to its base with little luck.

“Oh I don’t know,” Changbin murmured. “Maybe imagining a certain someone in all sorts of horrendous accidents that would explain him being twenty minutes late for his shift.”

“Oh” Jisung whispered, his cheeks flushing.

“Mhm. Now for all our sakes, go and take over and make sure you eat one of the croissants under the counter from yesterday before they’re too stale.” Changbin shoved him forward, turning back to deal with the sizable queue that formed in his absence.

“It was fifteen minutes” Jisung muttered under his breath, adjusting his apron and laying a hand on Chan’s arm. “Need a hand?”

Chan’s shoulders relaxed considerably at the sight of the younger boy. He immediately relinquished control of the blender, wiping his hands off on the towel over his shoulder.

“Hey” he greeted, “everything alright?” Chan’s eyes searched Jisung’s for any hint that he needed to be concerned over his lateness, a relieved smile pulling at his lips when Jisung shook his head.

“Just overslept. I’m sorry, I should’ve called or something”

“Hey Changbin’s your boss, it’s him you should be apologising to. You’re just lucky that Dongsuk isn’t in today, or you’d be staying late.” Chan laughed, patting Jisung’s shoulder. “Chocolate milkshake” he added, nodding at the blender that Jisung had attached the correct way.

“It’s not even 9am” Jisung replied, wrinkling his nose.

“You had a strawberry milkshake with your breakfast last week” Chan said, rolling his eyes and moving back to the espresso machine, where he was much more comfortable. “Changbin was worried about you, y'know. You should make him one of your apology hot chocolates.”

“That’s funny, he said the same thing about you” Jisung smirked, switching on the blender so the older boy couldn't push the topic further.

-

By 3 pm, things at the cafe had calmed a little. There was now only a small group of teenagers taking over three of the large sofas, and a middle aged man tapping away at his laptop at a table in the corner. Jisung leant against the counter, rubbing his knuckles into the small of his back as it began to ache a little from standing so long.

Slipping his phone out of his pocket, he pulled his lip between his lips. 3:37 pm. His shift had finished almost ten minutes ago, and someone should have been there at least fifteen minutes ago to switch over.

Unlocking his phone, he pressed the icon of the red heart and tapped his fingers restlessly on the back of his phone case as the app loaded. He swiped across to the appointments page and selected the first available one for that week. It had almost become a ritual for him to do this, to check the page every few days as though there might be some sudden flash sale. Although not surprising, Jisung’s heart sank as the payment page opened and he saw the total in bold numbers at the bottom. Despite saving for almost a year now, he was still a significant way off affording the price in front of him.

The implant was still a fairly new creation, a more permanent way to block your soulmate via a small chip that was injected into your arm. It could provide Jisung with five years of peace, but right now it was little more than wishful thinking or a potential lifeline for the future.

Feeling the presence of someone standing in front of him, Jisung quickly locked his phone and slipped it back into his apron pocket, wincing when the motion of curling his fingers tugged on his injured skin. He’d burnt his fingers while trying to complete three orders at once during the lunch rush and a raised blister had now started to form.

Shaking out his hand, Jisung looked up with a smile, his eyes widening when he saw the boy in front of him.

“Seungmin!” Jisung greeted. “What can I get you?”

Jisung and Seungmin had some classes together, but he hadn’t seen his friend since before the summer break, and he had never seen him in the cafe before, most of the university students tending to stick with the cheaper cafes and coffee stands on campus.

“Just a tea, thanks,” Seungmin replied, pulling out his wallet. “Are you still in English this semester?”

Jisung nodded, turning to grab a cup. “Thursdays, right?”

Seungmin hummed in agreement. “Mornings though.”

The two boys shared a look and laughed, Jisung making quick work of making the drink and pushing a plastic lid securely on the top of the cup.

“I’d offer you to join us, but I’m just meeting them here and we’re heading out,” Seungmin explained, handing over his money.

Jisung followed his gaze to where the group of boys had been spread across the sofas in the back, watching as one helped another zip up his jacket and ruffled his hair.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m working late today anyway, but we should catch up soon.”

“I’ll tell you all about my new roommate,” Seungmin vowed, taking his drink.

“What happened to…?”

“Hyunjin?” Seungmin offered.

“Mhm. That guy.” Jisung wrinkled his nose at the name, dropping Seungmin’s change into his open palm.

“The joys of student mentoring, I’m afraid. I’m stuck on campus again this year” Seungmin replied, rolling his eyes and Jisung laughed.

“I look forward to hearing all about it.”

“Thursday” said Seungmin, raising his cup as he turned to join the boys heading for the door.

One slung his arm around Seungmin’s shoulder, saying something that made the other boy laugh, his eyes meeting Jisung’s for a moment. He was handsome, unbelievably so, and Jisung’s stomach flipped.

Jisung’s ears perked up at the sound of the back door, glancing behind him to see who had entered, and when he looked back, the group had gone.

“Hey” a voice called.

Changbin was pulling his hoodie over his head and bundling it into his locker as Jisung stuck his head into the door to greet him.

“What time do you call this?” Jisung smirked, receiving a swift middle finger from the other boy in response.

Changbin ruffled his hair that stuck up a little from the wind, and Jisung noticed that his cheeks were a little flushed.

“Chaeyoung’s sick.”

“So you ran here?”

“Pretty much”, Changbin sighed, gesturing his hand towards the other boy. “Well go on. Don’t you have classes?”

Jisung shrugged. “Not until Thursday.”

Changbin narrowed his eyes, pulling on his apron.

“I don’t!” Jisung mimed drawing a cross over his heart and put on his sweetest smile. “Bin, the school kids are going to descend soon and then the after work rush, plus Dongsuk is out of town. I am happy to stay.”

“Chan’s going to kill us both if you’re lying to me.” Changbin poked his chest as he passed, but Jisung could see that he was trying not to smile. “And I’m not paying you double.”

Changbin was right. When Chan had discovered that Jisung had been sacrificing his classes in order to make his rent last semester, it had resulted in one of the biggest fights the two boys had ever had and it was a topic they were both still touchy about. Jisung’s father was supposed to cover the rent on his apartment, but lately the payments had been getting smaller and later and Jisung would rather put a dent in his savings than ask either of the other boys for help.

Jisung followed him back out the front, grabbing one of the paper cups and filling it at the sink. “Can I at least be employee of the month?”

Changbin rolled his eyes, wiping over the counter where a few drink rings had been left. “I mean, we don’t have an employee of the month, so sure.”

He turned to pat Jisung’s shoulder, smiling as Jisung grinned back at him around the lip of the cup he had bitten between his teeth.

“You should hire someone new,” Jisung said, leaning one hand back on the counter behind him, and downing the rest of the water. “There’s not enough of us to cover Myunghee’s shifts now school’s started again” he continued, reaching around Changbin to grab a pen and scribble his name on the side of the cup before placing it on one of the selves beneath the till.

Changbin turned back to wiping the same spot on the counter. “Mmm. I’ll ask my Dad.”

“Do you miss her?” Jisung asked, his voice soft. Changbin had barely mentioned Myunghee over the last few weeks, since returning from his trip to stay with her family over the summer.

“Of course” he answered quickly, his scrubbing at one stubborn stain intensifying a little.

“It’s just a few months though.”

Changbin nodded, giving up on the semi circle that still wouldn’t budge and tucking the end of the cloth into his pocket. “Bring a chair out the back you’ve been standing all day.”

Jisung retrieved one of the spare wooden chairs they had stacked in the break room and slid it up against the wall, so it wouldn’t be too in the way. “Doesn’t this break some kind of health and safety code?” he asked, collapsing into the chair and swinging his feet onto one of the shelves beneath the counter that housed the folders of instructions for making the variety of drinks they sold and how to use the appliances.

“It breaks health and safety rules when you eat the toppings that fall off the cakes in the cabinet.”

“That is to minimise waste,” Jisung replied, holding out his palm. “And we’ve got maybe ten minutes before I have to get up again. Can I have a donut?”

Changbin huffed, nudging Jisung’s feet off their perch and grabbing a plate. “Can’t you at least eat a sandwich or something?”

He pushed open the door to the cabinet and selected one of the donuts that were a little lopsided and squished, but it was still a strawberry one with sprinkles and he knew those were Jisung’s favourite.

Changbin offered the other boy the plate, pausing for a moment when something caught his eye.

“What happened to your hand?” he questioned, putting the plate on the counter beside them.

Jisung pulled his hand back, holding it against his chest. “It’s nothing,” he murmured. “It’s just a steam burn. I ran it under the cold water.”

Changbin frowned, holding out his hand, Jisung reluctantly letting him take his hand in his and inspect the raised red mark along three of his fingers.

“This is why I don’t leave you and Younghoon here on your own” he sighed, reaching up for the first aid box from the shelf above Jisung’s head.

“What are you doing?” asked Jisung, reaching over to take a bite of the donut.

“I think we have some cream for burns.. Can’t you wait like two minutes?” he chastised, taking the donut from Jisung’s hand and returning it to the plate.

Jisung continued chewing with a pout.

“Take your ring off so it doesn’t swell,” Changbin instructed, freezing as soon as the words left his mouth.

Jisung had pushed his chair back the last few inches he could before hitting the wall. He knew Changbin hadn’t thought before speaking, he could see it in the panic in his eyes, but that didn’t stop Jisung’s heart from hammering in his chest at the request, holding his hand out of Changbin’s reach like he might remove the ring forcefully.

“I didn’t..” Changbin began.

Jisung shook his head, standing and moving around the other boy. “I told you I’m fine” he mumbled, feeling a hand on his shoulder as began moving around items on the counter, reorganising an already perfectly neat stack of napkins.

“If you don’t do anything, it really might swell and then where will you be?” Changbin said, his words careful. “I’m going to put the cream in your backpack, okay? For later.”

Jisung didn’t reply, but he also didn’t argue, so Changbin took that as understanding and went to the back room, opening Jisung’s never locked locker and tucking the tube into one of the side pockets of his bag.

The younger boy glanced over his shoulder when Changbin returned, looking a little embarrassed and Changbin quickly shook his head.

“Eat your damn donut before your break is over”

Jisung rolled his eyes, but did as he was told for a change, squeezing the older boy’s arm as he passed.

-

It was dark out by the time Jisung dragged his tired legs up the stairs of his apartment building. He paused on the landing of the second floor. Chan would probably be making something close to edible for dinner around now and never minded Jisung’s company, but he had already crashed there most of last week. Sighing, he continued up the extra flight of stairs and let himself into his own apartment, the silence anything but welcoming.

He ended up heading to bed at barely 10 pm, telling himself it was the responsible thing to do. In reality, Jisung could feel the urge creeping up on him. The desire to pull on his trainers and run through the dark until his lungs screamed at him and his legs were like soup. The hammering of his chest would make sense then at least, Jisung could explain to himself why. It was logical. Sometimes when he did that though, his brain didn’t think to bring money to get him home once his legs were too weak, or to pay attention to where he was or how he got there.

It didn’t help as he lay in bed that the band around his finger that had only been a little tight earlier, now felt suffocating. His finger had started to swell up as Changbin had warned and Jisung considered going to retrieve the cream the other boy had given him. Taking a deep breath, he rolled onto his side, pushing his hand between his thighs and stubbornly deciding not to think about it. The pain was more of an annoyance and definitely at a level he could cope with, he reasoned.

Rummaging under his pillow, Jisung pulled out his phone and opened Instagram, a photo of Chan the first to pop up. Smiling at the caption about his first day back in the studio after summer, Jisung liked the photo and decided to join him there before his afternoon shift tomorrow.

Scrolling further, he liked a photo Changbin had taken at the cafe earlier and another of who Jisung assumed was his roommate, his back to the camera and arms outstretched in front of what Jisung knew to Changbin’s building. Jisung zoomed in on the photo a little. Maybe he should stop by Changbin’s soon, he considered. He was sure he’s heard him mention he was a dancer.

With some pretty good plans for the following day forming in his head, Jisung’s eyes began to droop and he continued to scroll aimlessly, switching apps when he exhausted each one.

He must have drifted off to sleep at some point, suddenly starting awake to a room that was still dark, his phone clutched in his fist. Sweat coated the back of Jisung’s neck as he huffed and rolled over, pushing his hair off his face and placing his phone on his bedside table. The band of his ring was hot against his skin and he gasped as he went to adjust it with his other hand. It had definitely gotten tighter on his finger, and now the skin was warm and itched irritatingly.

“For fuck’s sake” he whispered, twisting the metal from side to side until it eased up his finger, smiling in relief when he could slip it off and place it on his bedside table on top of the screen of his phone.

Jisung lay flat on his back, closing his eyes again. He could hear some kind of music, mostly the base thumping through a wall and reasoned it was probably what had woken him. Damn students and their first week parties, Jisung thought to himself. Too tired to really care, he let his head fall to the side and shuffled to get comfortable.

He was almost asleep again when the absence of the music startled him back to consciousness. It had cut off abruptly and Jisung strained his ears for the sound of voices, the party either cut off or over, but there was only silence.

Silence.

Jisung sat bolt upright, fumbling to switch on his lamp. Blinking against the light, he looked over at the bedside table, eyes landing on his ring lying where he had discarded it. His gaze moved slowly to his own hand, lifting his left hand to feel the empty skin of his right ring finger. There was still the angry blister running along the fold of his knuckle, but other than that it was definitely bare.

His hand should be shaking, Jisung thought dumbly. His heart should be pounding in his chest, his ears rushing like the moment before he passed out in Biology. He shouldn’t be able to hear the quiet that was filling the room like smoke threatening to choke him.

Jisung lifted his hand to his face and ran it down his cheek, letting the skin pull under his palm. Looking back to the bedside table, he grabbed the ring and pushed it back onto his finger a little too forcefully. A laugh bubbled up his throat, bursting into the silence of the room and then Jisung was up. He barely made it to the bathroom in time before dropping to his knees and promptly throwing up into the toilet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first work for Stray Kids, so please come and say hi!  
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/)!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! I'm trying to keep a few chapters ahead, so the updates will be fairly regular. I also promise the rest of the members are actually going to show up soon. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

When Jisung showed up at Chan’s apartment, his hair mused from sleep and his face worryingly pale, the older boy let him in without a word. Jisung didn’t entirely remember making it down the stairs, or even if he had locked his own apartment, but Chan was guiding him gently towards his bed and pulling the duvet back for him and Jisung found it much easier to let his mind go blank than to try and think. 

An arm wrapped around his shoulders as he was pulled against the older boy’s chest, Chan’s bare feet cold against the skin of his calf. 

“Breathe” Chan whispered, bringing a hand up to run through Jisung’s hair. 

The word made Jisung aware of the way he was breathing in small gaps, his chest heaving and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus on the simple instruction. 

Chan’s hand left his hair for a moment to lift Jisung’s own palm to his chest. “With me” he instructed, emphasising his own slow breathing. 

In. Out. In. Out. Jisung’s brain repeated the mantra, until his body began to relax and the haze of panic ebbed into sheer exhaustion. 

#  -

His throat hurt. It was scratchy and dry from being sick and he felt warm, the duvet over him tucked right up to his chin. 

Slowly, Jisung became aware of the fact that he must’ve fallen asleep. He was also instantly sure that he didn’t want to be awake yet, rolling over and burying his face into a pillow that smelled distinctly of Chan. The other boy was no longer there, but Jisung didn’t know how long he had been sleeping. 

Peeling one eye open, he pushed the duvet off himself a little. It was daylight, a thin strip of sunlight cast across the bed from a gap in the curtains, but he had no idea what time. He knew he was supposed to work that afternoon, but if he had missed it, Chan would’ve let Changbin know. 

Jisung closed his eyes again and sighed. He should go and get a glass of water and he really needed the bathroom, but focussing on these annoyances was keeping his brain occupied. Jising focussed his thoughts on what day it was, what time, about what washing liquid Chan uses that smells so good and the way it smells like when Jisung first lived alone and Chan would do his washing for him. These thoughts were okay. They were easy. 

The door opened a little and Jisung considered pretending to still be asleep for a moment, but he would have to face all of this at some point. 

Chan walked up to the bed, and Jisung heard him place a glass on the table beside his head. A cold hand pressed to his forehead and Jisung hummed at the touch, opening his eyes. “Did you bring me breakfast?” he murmured. 

“It’s 4pm” Chan replied, smiling softly and nodding the glass of water he had brought. “You should drink something though.” 

Jisung pushed himself up into a sitting position and took the glass, gulping down half the water in one go. He didn’t miss the fact that there was another untouched glass of water and a seemingly cold mug of coffee also on the table that Chan must’ve been bringing him throughout the day. 

Resting his head back against the headboard, Jisung smirked weakly. “This is a shit hotel” he commented. 

“Your review will be noted,” Chan said, nudging his legs aside so that he could perch on the bed. “Changbin brought you pastries earlier, but that attitude won’t get you any.” 

Jisung smiled and set the glass down, actually using the coaster on the bedside table. When he looked up at Chan, he could see the concern in his features, his eyes searching Jisung’s own. 

Jisung pulled his lip between his teeth and looked away. It’d been a while since Chan had had to do this, since he had spent nights stroking Jisung’s hair as he cried, holding him impossibly tight when the smaller boy could barely breathe, and it had been years since the months of him sharing Chan’s bed, their hands clasped together in the dark. Even when Jisung’s father had still lived in the apartment upstairs with him, he had spent almost all of his time at Chan’s instead. Little had changed over the years, and Chan had become just as worried about Jisung’s new coping techniques, but he was always there, cleaning his cuts after he got into some dumb scrap, or picking him up when he got lost, a flask of tea and a coat ready to thaw him out and bring him back. Jisung’s stomach tightened with guilt. Things were supposed to be getting better. 

“Jisung” Chan’s voice was firm, a hand coming to rest on his knee. 

“I’m alright” he whispered, and Chan nodded, always patient. Always ready to help. 

“Okay, but if you want to talk, if..”

“I know” Jisung smiled softly, meeting Chan’s eyes. 

“Good. Now, go shower and we can watch a movie or something.”

Chan hovered nearby while Jisung showered, keeping up odd small talk from outside the room, asking if he needed clothes, or food or a toothbrush, and Jisung was more than a little grateful for the distraction. After he had towel dried his hair and pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt of Chan’s that were both a little too big, he made his way to the living room. 

Chan’s apartment was almost half the size of his own and was much more sparsely and cheaply decorated, but it had always felt much more homely. Jisung’s apartment felt like an echo of happiness, hollow and cold. Other than the fact that Jisung didn’t keep it nearly as clean, it looked almost exactly the same as when his parents had lived there as one happy family. Now, however, his father had a fancy new house outside the city, and his mother was thousands of miles away, each with a shiny new family of their own and Jisung was left as the uncomfortable reminder of their failed marriage. 

“You didn’t have class today, did you?” Jisung asked, plopping onto the sofa.

Chan shook his head and tossed him a blanket. “I had orientation for the new student mentors this morning, but Changbin came over while I was gone.”

“I don't need a babysitter.” 

“You don’t?” Chan replied, smiling and Jisung gave him the middle finger. “He was coming over anyway to show me some lyrics.”

Jisung rested his feet on Chan’s lap as soon as the other boy sat down. “What are the new kids like?” he asked. 

“I’m in charge of the second years, so there’s only a few of them. Most of the mentors are third years” Chan replied. “You should have signed up.”

Jisung scoffed. “Yeah, right. You do too much, dude. You’re already staying on an extra year voluntarily, I don’t know how you have the energy.” 

Jisung stretched and yawned. 

“I can see that. One of them mentioned looking for a job actually” Chan noted. “I gave him Changbin’s number, I should let him know.”

“He said he would finally put up some flyers yesterday.”

“About time” Chan replied, pulling out his phone. “Has he seemed weird to you recently?” 

Chan glanced over, at Jisung and the younger boy shrugged. “Isn’t he always kind of weird?”

Chan laughed, typing out a text message to their friend and Jisung thought back to the previous day and Changbin’s reaction when he had mentioned Myunghee’s name. He had thought Changbin had just been missing his girlfriend. They had been attached at the hip for four years now after all, and her moving away after college was bound to have had an effect on their relationship, but Jisung decided to keep an eye on the other boy, if only to take something off Chans plate. 

“Do I get a say in who we hire?” Jisung questioned, breaking the short silence that had fallen over them and peering over at Chan’s phone.

“I don’t see why you would.” 

  
“I’m employee of the month, I’ll have you know,” Jisung boasted, grinning. 

Chan looked up from his phone, affronted. “Since when was there an employee of the month?”

“Since Changbin likes me best.”

Chan rolled his eyes and put his phone down on the arm of the sofa. “His name’s Seungmin, do you know him?”

“Kim Seungmin?”Jisung asked, smiling when Chan nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, we had English together last semester. He’s cool.”

“I didn’t know you had other friends,” said Chan, smiling to himself and receiving an unimpressed stare from Jisung. 

“I didn’t know your jokes could get worse” he quipped. Chan gasped and moved to tip the younger boy off the sofa. 

“I’m sorry! You’re so funny, Channie… you’re hilarious!” Jisung laughed, clinging on desperately. 

Chan let his laughter subside and turned to look at Jisung properly, resting a hand on his leg. 

“Changbin mentioned that the date is coming up...” he said, his voice dropping quieter. 

Jisung swallowed and averted his gaze. “It’s a while yet.”

“It’s not why… last night?” Chan questioned. 

Jisung shook his head. Chan was right, it was September and as signs of the seasons changing began Jisung’s mind had undoubtedly gone to that date every so often. It had still been pretty warm the day Jisung’s mother had left, surprisingly so for October and he remembered still having his coat and scarf on when she had sat him down at the kitchen table after school. It was the first time his two parents had been in the same room since they had separated, and even at seven years old he knew something big was happening. Jisung’s mother had left that evening .She had moved to America to be with her soulmate, a man she had never even met, and even though she had been far from perfect in the years she had been there, the young boy had loved her unconditionally. 

“You wouldn’t want to leave your Dad, would you, my love?” she had said, running her fingers through his hair as he clung to her side, “and all your friends, hm? You boys will have fun together.”

Jisung remembered holding back his tears, as his father had moved him away, the hatred in his eyes. Jisung had hated his father for hating his mother, and he hated himself for loving her. Fuck soulmates, he had decided. Fuck this thing that had torn his family apart. 

“No,” Jisung replied to Chan, meeting his questioning look with his own determined stare.

Chan nodded and stretched out his legs. “Changbin said he would stop by for dinner,” he announced, letting the subject drop. 

He knew from experience not to push Jisung.The younger boy often needed to let things settle in his own mind before he would open up, or he would shut down completely and lash out. They had had their fair number of arguments over the years, and Chan had had to mediate between Jisung and Changbin even more times. But the bond between the three of them had only grown stronger over the years, and if Chan had to regulate his own need to protect his friends then he could do that so long as it was what they needed.

-

  
  


It wasn’t until later that evening that Jisung was left on his own again. He and Chan had spent the rest of the evening watching some show on Netflix, and Changbin had joined them after he had finished work. They’d ordered food, and Jisung had ended up squished between his two friends on the small sofa, a quiet settling over the group. It was nice to have them both there, but Jisung could feel how fragile things felt, or more likely how fragile they seemed to think he was. Neither had mentioned the night before, but he could feel Chan’s eyes flicking to him every couple of minutes, while Changbin smiled a little too brightly every time the two of them made eye contact. 

Jisung was grateful when they both disappeared to the kitchen to clean up, even if they were probably talking about him. Twisting his body, he stretched out flat on the sofa and let out a long breath. As much as he’d kept his gaze focussed on the screen, he’d stopped paying attention to whatever they had been watching five minutes in. His mind raced and his thumb pressed into the band around his ring finger until it left an indent in his skin. 

He felt different. That was the conclusion Jisung had come to. There was the obvious, the fact that he still felt like he would like to go to the top of a mountain and scream into the void, and the way his entire body was exhausted, but there was also something else. He should be in full panic right now, and granted he was seriously freaking out, last night had proved that, but somehow he felt impossibly calm at the same time. It was as though someone had given him some kind of medication that was desperately trying to counter the natural way his body was reacting. Jisung could only describe it as reassuring, distinctly un-him, and utterly horrifying. 

Lifting his hand to hover in front of his face, his eyes narrowed. Maybe he had been wrong last night and all of this had been for nothing. The weird feeling was probably just a combination of shock and lack of sleep.

“ _ Take it off”  _ his brain whispered and Jisung was inching the band up his finger before he could talk himself out of the idea. He held his breath, imaging the sound of _ the hum _ filling his brain with familiar static, the relief that would fill his chest, telling Chan and Changbin and them all laughing at the way he had overreacted. 

Silence. 

“Sungie?” Changbin’s voice made the younger boy jump, dropping the ring into the blanket on his lap. 

Jisung’s fingers scrambled in the fabric, colliding with Changbin’s as he plucked the ring from between a fold in the material. He looked down at the small band in his palm, and for a moment Jisung thought he might not give it back. 

Realisation fell over Changbin’s face and he squatted down, so that he was eye level with Jisung, reaching for his wrist. Changbin’s movements were slow and gentle as he uncurled Jinsung’s fist, turning over his hand to examine the white blister that had risen on Jisung’s fingers. 

“Your finger... I shouldn’t have mentioned taking your ring off.” 

Jisung’s eyebrows furrowed, shaking his head. “It’s not your fault, Bin.”

“That’s why though, right? I shouldn’t have pushed you. I told Chan I’d probably freaked you out.” 

Changbin held his ring out to him and Jisung let out a huff of disbelief. “Changbin... Binnie... really?”

He was almost laughing now, Changbin staring back at him. “You really think that’s why?”Jisung asked, his smile falling when he saw Changbin starting to look a little upset. “If I’d have put that damn cream on when you suggested it, I wouldn’t be losing my mind right now.” 

“I don’t understand,” said Changbin, lifting himself to perch on the edge of the wooden coffee table in front of the sofa instead. 

Jisung took the ring from him and slipped it on his finger, wincing a little as he pushed it past the blister, his whole body relaxing a little at having it back on. 

“My finger swelled up just like you said it would, and it was itching like crazy” he explained, looking anywhere but at Changbin. “I took it off” he stated simply, shrugging. 

“You?  _ You _ took off your ring?” Changbin clarified. “And again, just now.. You did it again.” 

“It was really fucking irritating, okay?” Jisung sighed, folding his arms across his chest. 

“Wait, so your own stubbornness annoyed you to the point of taking your ring off?” Changbin smirked, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. 

“I will leave,” Jisung threatened, moving to stand up. 

“No, no, I’m sorry” Changbin laughed, holding his hands up. “It’s actually good. It shows how far you’ve come that you could do that.” 

Jisung rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, I’m doing great.”

“But that’s what I don’t get,” Changbin said. “What happened? Did something… Did...? No...”

Changbin’s head snapped up, his eyes wide.

“What?” Chan asked, appearing from the doorway. He’d changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and had a beer in his hand. He paused at the sight of the other two boys. Changbin’s face was full of concern, to the point that he almost looked as though he was about to cry, while Jisung’s eyes were wide and panicked. 

“What’s going on?” he questioned again, his voice now full of concern. 

Changbin cleared his throat, collecting himself and stood up. He grabbed the beer from Chan’s hand and took a long drink. 

“Jisung?” Chan tried again, when Changbin just shook his head at him. 

“It doesn't need to be a big deal, okay?” Jisung was talking directly to Changbin, his voice pleading. “I had to tell you. I couldn’t.. I wanted you both to know, but it doesn’t have to be a thing. So long as I wear my ring, nothing has changed.” 

“Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Chan moved to stand in front of Changbin, putting himself directly in Jisung’s line of sight.

“Jisung connected.” 

  
  


-

Chan was pacing, one hand in his hair and the other clutching the beanie he had pulled off his own head. 

“Like hell you are getting that thing,” he said for perhaps the tenth time that evening, pointing a finger at Jisung who was now hanging upside down off the edge of the sofa. 

Jisung let out another long groan. “You’re not my Dad,” he said pettily.

Changbin smirked from where he was sitting at the other end of the sofa. “I think this could be a good thing.”

Jisung shot him a glare, sitting back upright, then turned his attention back to Chan who had stopped pacing and was staring at him. “It’s perfectly safe, just one small injection and I don't have to wear this damn ring anymore. I can go back to living my life.”

“What life?” Chan countered. “What future?”

Jisung flinched and he felt Changbin stiffen beside him. Chan’s eyes softened, and he even looked a little ashamed. “I didn’t mean it like that. You know I didn’t. I just think that you should give this more than one day’s thought.”

“I have! I’ve been saving for months” Jisung countered. 

“It’s a big deal” Changbin cut in, agreeing with Chan, “and there’s all of those studies… they say you can get the implant taken out, but no one really knows what it does.”

“It potentially permanently affects the bond between you and your soulmate” Jisung said with a shrug. “That doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me. Are you telling me you’re not tempted by that?” 

Jisung directed the question at Changbin who’s cheeks flushed. “I.. Maybe. One day, but it’s something I’ll have thought through. It’s completely different.” 

“Changbin’s engaged” Chan agreed, perching on the arm of the sofa and resting a hand on Jisung’s shoulder, the younger boy tutting. “I know you’ve been saving up for the implant for a long time, Ji. I Know how much you wanted it, but you can’t say this doesn’t change things.” 

“Why would it?” Jisung asked, gesturing to Changbin. “If he can be happy marrying someone he hasn’t connected to, then I can find that too.” 

Chan sighed and moved his hand to Jisung’s hair. “I just want you to be careful,” he whispered. 

Changbin shuffled closer and rested a hand on Jisung’s knee. “You can keep your ring on all the time and you’re right, nothing will be different, but you’ll still have the chance to change your mind.”

“Two weeks” Jisung allowed, “then it’s my birthday, and I can officially do whatever I want. I won’t need parental permission.”

“That’s not...” Chan started.

“Two weeks” Jisung repeated, “and I’ll see.”

Chan sighed reluctantly, sliding off the arm of the sofa to squish in beside the other boy, practically sitting on top of him. Jisung whined, but didn’t push him off, even smiling a little when Changbin also shuffled closer, propping his chin on Jisung’s shoulder. 

“You have a soulmate, Sungie” Chan whispered, snuggling up to him. “Isn’t that kind of cool?”

Jisung took a deep breath, trying not to shudder at the thought. 

  
  


-

In the early hours of that morning, Minho had been woken by the irritating feeling of someone repeatedly poking his cheek. It had been his first full day of classes after the summer break and he’d spent the evening planning for his first rehearsal as head of the dance team, so he felt he deserved a sofa nap before gathering enough energy to actually make it to bed. 

“Min…” Changbin whispered, his voice hoarse.

Minho didn’t respond, swatting at his hand and frowning. He felt the other boy lift his hand from where it dangled off the edge of the sofa and push something onto his finger.

“You’re gonna lose that if you’re not careful” the younger boy scolded, and Minho peeked one eye open. 

He looked down at his hand and saw that Changbin had put his ring back on. It must have come off in his sleep. 

“Why you awake?” Minho mumbled.

Changbin huffed and pushed his own hair back. “Other than making sure you don’t put your back out falling asleep on the sofa again? I can’t sleep… Can’t you hear them?”

Changbin was pouting and Minho couldn’t help but smile at his roommates disgruntled appearance. Despite his claim, Changbin had clearly been asleep at some point, but now that he mentioned it Minho could hear the thump of music coming from the flat above them. 

He shrugged, swinging his legs off the sofa. “It’s the first week back, there’ll be parties all week. I’m more upset we weren’t invited.” 

Changbin rolled his eyes and latched himself onto Minho’s back as soon as he stood up. “You can’t go to bed, I need someone to occupy me” he whined. 

Minho held onto the other boy’s hands where they hung around his neck and walked them towards their rooms. 

“I’ve got a class at 9am, so  _ I  _ am going to bed. Can’t you bother your wife?”

Changbin let his arms fall from around the taller boy with a huff. 

“Fiance” he muttered. 

“Close enough,” said Minho, shrugging and rubbing the base of his spine. “The point is that she has agreed to deal with this.”

Changbin pouted, staring up at Minho and folding his arms. 

“Go on. Try headphones” Minho ordered. He patted Changbin’s head, smiling sleepily. 

Changbin glared at him in response, pushing open his door. “After all I do for you” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. 

“Sweet dreams, darling” Minho called, retreating to his own room. “And poke me awake again and you’ll wake up on the roof.” 

He heard Changbin continue to mumble to himself, followed by the sound of his door closing. Smiling to himself, Minho only took the time to remove his jeans before crawling into bed and letting sleep take him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first work for Stray Kids, so please come and say hi!  
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/)!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! More of the boys are here and the rest will follow soon. I'm currently at over 25k words, so the chapters will keep coming!
> 
> Thanks for reading and especially to anyone who left kudos and comments on the chapters so far :) I hope you enjoy!

Jisung was a little on edge the next day to say the least. He had stayed the night at Chan’s again and the older boy had done his best to distract him, but his attempts only reminded Jisung that something was wrong in the first place. 

By the time Changbin had stopped by with breakfast for him for the second day running Jisung felt so suffocated that he’d left for his class half an hour earlier than necessary. 

Pushing the door to the lecture hall open, Jisung surveyed the room and found it was thankfully still fairly empty, a perk of having arrived early for a change. In fact, other than a girl sat two rows back, he had his choice of essentially any seat. 

Jisung made a beeline for the back row, nodding at the girl who gave him a small smile as he passed. It was the same room this class had been held in the previous semester and he and Seungmin had gravitated towards the back corner seats as often as they could, with Seungmin slipping him the notes to any of the lectures he had missed. He was pretty good at English which was the main reason he took the class in the first place, for the easy pass, but with actual assignments and exams it turns out Jisung still had to put in some actual effort. 

Tossing his backpack on the ground beside one of the chairs, Jisung wiggled his phone out his pocket and checked the time. He still had twenty minutes until the start of the lecture and the thought of sitting in the quiet room alone made his stomach twist uncomfortably. 

He figured he had time to go and grab a drink from the student cafe and grabbed his wallet from the pocket of his backpack before jogging back down the stairs of the lecture hall and back out into the corridor. 

With it only being the first week back, there were even more people around than usual, the students still fresh and eager and as he reached the cafeteria where the queue made him consider turning back. Resigning himself to waiting here and getting caffeine out of it compared to sitting in a stuffy lecture hall, Jisung pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the message he had received on his walk over from Chan. 

He’d rolled his eyes as the simple thumbs up emoji, but seeing it again made him smile to himself. His finger hovered over the middle finger emoji before switching back to the keyboard and typing out a quick reply instead. 

_Have a good day :)_

He hit send before he could reconsider and looked up to move with the queue. 

Returning to his phone, he scrolled through Instagram for a while, a new notification from Seungmin popping up as he almost reached the front of the queue. He quickly typed out an unimpressed response to his message asking if he was excited for class this morning and let the other boy know he had already reserved their favourite seats. 

Coffee in hand, he made it back to the lecture hall with a good five minutes to spare, however the room was considerably more full than when he had left and Jisung kept his head down as he quickly walked up the stairs. He slowed as he approached the back row, a figure hunched over in the seat he had left. 

Jisung hovered for a moment before sighing and approaching the boy from behind, clearing his throat. He didn’t recognise him from the class last year, but he didn’t recognise the majority of the people in the room. Most of the students only took a language class for one semester to fill their credits, but he would’ve remembered seeing this boy before, or at least the long blonde hair he had tucked behind one ear as he tapped away on his phone. 

“You’re in my seat” Jisung said matter of factly. 

The other boy didn’t react, his fingers still moving quickly, head bent. 

“Hey” Jisung repeated a little louder, nudging the boy. “That’s my seat.” 

The boy glanced up, an eyebrow raised. 

“Your seat?” 

“Brilliant” Jisung muttered when he saw the other boy’s face. The hair was different, but the impossibly handsome features were all too familiar, right down to the small mole under his eye. 

“Hyunjin” he greeted icily. 

The other boy smirked, pushing his hair back with one hand. “Jisung.” 

“Yes. Wonderful to see you. My backpack?” he questioned, motioning to the general area. “It was here.”

“I didn’t see anything” the other boy replied, looking back at his phone. 

Jisung glared at him, growing impatient. “Are you sure?” 

The other boy sighed dramatically, leaning down to retrieve the bag and swung it on top of the desk beside him. 

“Thanks,” Jisung said dryly, pulling out the next chair over and sitting down, setting his coffee cup on the table. 

“You shouldn’t leave your stuff lying around. Anyone could’ve taken it” Hyunjin said with a shrug. 

“Noted.” 

Jisung unzipped the top of his backpack and tugged out a notebook and pen before setting it back on the ground beside him. He sighed internally at the thought that he couldn’t even nap through the lecture now without Seungmin to nudge him if a question was directed at him, and he watched as the aforementioned boy ascended the stairs on the far side of the room. 

Seungmin shuffled behind a couple of other students and collapsed into the chair on the opposite side of the blonde haired boy. 

“Hi” Seungmin greeted, a smile spreading across his face, eyes crinkling and Jisung relaxed a little. 

He felt bad now that he hadn’t caught up with the other boy much over the summer, but he had never been very good at keeping up with friendships. It was likely only because of Chan that he and Changbin had bonded, and he was only friends with Chan because Chan was Chan and he seemed determined to stick around. 

“Hey” Jisung replied, the word echoing from the boy beside him at the same time. 

The two boy’s eyes met, Jisung’s expression cloudy. 

“I didn't expect to see the two of you sitting together.” Seungmin smiled, nodding towards the two of them. 

Jisung’s eyes narrowed, as the other boy looked away, a lazy smile on his lips. 

“I guess he just couldn’t resist” the blonde boy responded, before Jisung had the chance to. 

“You two are unbelievable. Can’t you just pretend to like each other for my sake?”

“He’s not your roommate anymore” Jisung pointed out, feeling Hyunjin turn to scowl at him and Jisung was glad to have gotten a rise out of the boy. “I didn’t expect to have to put up with him anymore.”

“You don’t put up with one another. You met once and then refused to be in the same place ever again!” Seungmin exclaimed, trying to keep his voice hushed. 

“It was enough,” muttered Hyunjin and Jisung had to hum in agreement. 

Seungmin rolled his eyes and moved to pull his things from his own bag as their lecturer entered the room, a hush falling over the class. 

“Play nice” Seungmin whispered, although Jisung wasn’t sure which of them it was aimed at. 

-

Fifteen minutes into the lecturer explaining something to do with grammar and Jisung’s mind began to wonder. He moved his hands to his lap and ran a finger over the metal of his ring, his stomach tightening at the urge to slip it off. It was like some daring part of him just wanted to see what would happen. If he would hear anything. There was someone else out there possibly freaking out just as much as he was right now. The person the universe has decided he was destined to be with. 

He shook his head and tucked his hand under his thigh. The entire thing was ridiculous. 

Jisung’s attention was drawn to the sound of persistent tapping and he glanced across to see the end of Hyunjin’s pen knocking against his notepad where he bounced it between his fingers. Jisung returned his focus to his own notepad and sighed internally. Of course he’d end up stuck next to the most annoying person possible today of all days. 

He managed to hold back any kind of comment for a few more minutes, staring blankly ahead until he heard the sound of plastic hitting the carpet beside him. Jisung looked down to see a pen rolling towards his foot, stopping when it reached the sole of his shoe. Looking up, he met Hyunjin’s eyes, the other boy’s jaw clenching. 

Jisung smirked and glanced down at the pen before looking back up at him, Hyunjin’s expectant gaze darkening as Jisung used his toe to roll the pen further under his own chair. 

“Seriously?” Hyunjin muttered, pulling his chair closer to the desk and resting his chin on his hand. 

It was petty, Jisung knew but if the other boy could behave like a child then so could he. 

It took a good five minutes for Hyunjin to lean over and whisper something to Seungmin who looked confused for a moment before leaning down to reach into his backpack. Jisung let out a small snigger as he watched Seungmin pull a pencil from the pocket of his backpack and offer it to Hyunjin, the blonde boy nodding grateful and pointedly not looking in Jisung’s direction. 

Thankfully no questions were directed at Jisung and he managed to keep his focus enough to actually take some notes, but he was still grateful for it to be over when the lecturer ended his presentation. As soon as they were dismissed the boy beside him was up, grabbing his jacket from the back of his seat and swinging his bag over his shoulder.

“Rehearsal?” Jisung heard Seungmin question and Hyunjin hummed in response. 

“I promised Minho I’d get there early to help set up. It’s the first one back” he explained.

“You guys are insane for putting him in charge,” Seungmin said, laughing as Hyunjin started down the stairs, holding his hands up helplessly. 

“Lunch tomorrow?” Seungin called, standing up himself and Hyunjin sent him a thumbs up as he continued to jog down the steps. 

Jisung watched the exchange with a smile as he packed up his things, pausing when he noticed the pen still by the leg of his chair. It was white and had the logo of some high school printed on the side. Looking up to see Hyunjin disappear into the crowd of students exiting the room, Jisung slid the pen into his backpack feeling a little guilty. 

“Are you coming?” Seungmin asked, looking down at Jisung expectantly. 

Jisung nodded and grabbed the rest of his things quickly, following Seungmin out of the room. 

“You two really hit it off, huh?” said Seungmin, nudging Jisung’s arm gently. 

Jisung rolled his eyes. “I’m having a bad day. The last thing I need to do is make nice with Hwang Hyunjin.”

“Eh, I should’ve guessed this would happen to be honest. You two are too alike.”

Jisung scoffed, helping to navigate Seungmin through a particularly crowded part of the hallway, as Seungmin threw an arm around his shoulders.

“Why don’t you come over for lunch tomorrow and patch things up? You can meet my new roommate too and Innie. You will love Innie!”

“You said that before I met Hyunjin, so I’m not sure I can trust your judgement. And besides, I can’t tomorrow, we’re finally going to record some of the stuff we’ve been working on over the summer” said Jisung, his face breaking into a grin. “How about we hang out after class next week? You don’t have a class Friday morning, right?”

“Nope” Seungin confirmed. “I’ll invite the boys too. I think you’ll like my new roommate. He’s great. I was dreading it when they told me, especially after having the room to myself all of last semester, but he’s cool.”

Jisung smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Were you upset about sharing a room or the fact that you and Jeongin’s little corner of love would be broken up?” he teased. “Just the two of you… neighbours.” 

Seungmin stared back at him coldly. “Han Jisung, I swear...” Seungmin warned. “It’s not even accurate. Jeongin has a roommate too.”

“You wanted me to meet Hyunin so badly and now this new boy, but not the love of your life? I’m hurt.” Jisung clutched his chest, giggling when Seungmin shoved him playfully. 

“He is a friend. We are friends” Seungmin said, picking up his pace so that he was walking ahead of Jisung. 

Catching the door that swung behind Seungmin, Jisung jogged to catch up as they made their way towards the accommodation blocks. “It’s a crush. It’s cute” he called. 

Seungmin stopped abruptly, turning around and Jinsung almost walked straight into his chest. “What’s the point?” Seungmin asked. “If I did like him, which I don’t, he’s not the love of my life, is he?”

Seungmin’s eyes were wide and Jisung felt awful for bringing the topic up, not least because he didn’t like the direction this conversation was going with what had happened to him only days ago. 

“Fuck that” Jisung said, grabbing Seungmin’s hand where it had started to play with the ring on his finger. “This is your time to have fun, to enjoy yourself and take chances. The way your face lights up when you talk about that boy says more than that...” He looked down at their hands, wrapping his over Seungmin’s and hiding his ring from sight. “Before all of this, did people not date because they might not marry the person? No! You should get out there and kiss a boy or two, Minnie.”

Seungmin smiled reluctantly, tugging Jisung by his hand as he started to walk again. “I didn’t even say I liked him… I’m just saying… hypothetically.”

“Of course” Jisung agreed. “Will he hypothetically be at lunch tomorrow?”

“We share a kitchen, of course he will. We essentially live together.”

The two boys came to a stop where the path broke off towards the accommodation block and Jisung grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Shut up” Seungmin said with a laugh. “You won’t be invited to hang out next week.”

“I invited you!” Jisung protested and Seungmin shrugged, walking away. 

“And bring your hot friend!” Jisung called. 

“Hyunjin?” Seungmin called back with a grin. 

“No, from the cafe” he clarified, but the other boy only looked confused. 

Jisung laughed, shaking his head and holding a hand up in goodbye. He set off towards one of the other blocks on campus, planning on dropping in on Chan who would most likely be in the studio, but as he walked he felt the smile that had lingered after seeing Seungmin start to falter. His stomach squirmed as he thought back to the conversation the two of them had had. 

He stood by the advice he had given. If anything, Seungmin was another example that soulmates were not the most important thing. Even soulmates didn’t work out sometimes, they got divorced or never fell in love in the first place. It was extremely rare, but it happened. Ultimately people were still human and if Jisung was going to have his heart broken he’d rather have it done by someone of his choosing. 

By the time he reached the arts block, Jisung’s head hurt. He scanned himself into the studio he, Chan and Changbin always used and waved as the two boys looked up. 

“How was class?” Changbin asked. He was lying back on the sofa in the corner of the room, his phone in his hands. Chan was hunched over his laptop, always working on something. 

“It was fine. I thought you’d be in a lecture or something” Jisung replied, collapsing into one of the empty chairs, tossing his bag on the ground. 

Changbin frowned, lowering his phone. “I’ve got business class this afternoon”. 

“He’s very excited,” said Chan without looking up. 

Jisung laughed, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. 

“I don’t get why you don’t just switch to music. You do enough that you’d probably have the credits to pass by now.”

The statement was true, the three boys had been posting music online as 3racha for almost two years now, Jisung and Chan each submitting their work towards their respective courses where necessary. It also meant that they had free access to a pretty good recording studio, that is if you didn’t count the student loans they would be landed with. 

“It wouldn’t be productive to my future,” said Changbin, turning his head to look at him and Jisung knew he was quoting his father. The younger boy wasn’t sure how to respond, glancing over at Chan who only looked concerned. 

After a moment, Changbin’s face softened and he looked back up at the ceiling. “It’s what I need to do,” he corrected. “It is useful, I just like to complain. If I’m going to help out with the business, I need some idea of what I’m doing. Plus, you need me to take over that cafe or you’ll be out of a job.” 

Chan huffed out a laugh, swivelling his seat to face the other two boys. “What are you even doing here?” he asked, aiming the question at Jisung. “I thought we were meeting tomorrow and you have the afternoon off.”

“I don’t really fancy going home right now…”

Chan nodded understandingly and Changbin shuffled to sit up. 

“I forgot to tell you” he said, “Minho mentioned that one of his friends needs a place to stay. His building was having work done over the summer and apparently they found a bunch of problems with the place.”

Jisung felt Chan watching for his reaction. “Your flatmate Minho?” the older boy asked and Changbin nodded. 

“I don’t… I’m not sure I want someone else living in my apartment, Bin. It would be weird. I would’ve asked you when Myunghee left if I wanted a roommate.”

“No, no, I thought you could get a place together” Changbin clarified and Jisung’s eyebrows shot up. “The rent is expensive where you are now. You’re paying for a two bed and barely even using one room. Plus, I know you hate being there so what’s the point? Sure, there’s a lot of history, but it makes you miserable.”

“He’s got a point,” Chan agreed. “I think it sounds like a good idea.” 

“To move in with a stranger?” Jisung questioned, not sounding convinced. “I could just move in with Chan.” 

“My apartment is half the size of yours,” Chan protested. “I have one bed!”

Jisung grinned, waving his hand. “You love it when we share. You get cuddles and I almost never snore.” 

“And you’d still be very welcome” Chan allowed, “but I still think this would make sense, even just to save some money”. 

That last comment caught Jisung’s attention. Not only would a smaller apartment be cheaper, but with a roommate he’d only be paying half of that. He could easily cover the cost with what his father provided alone, and then everything he got from the cafe could go towards his savings. Towards the implant. 

“Alright” he agreed, smiling at Changbin. “If he has somewhere in mind, tell him I’ll check it out.” 

Changbin nodded with a grin, grabbing his phone to text his friend and Jisung thought that he might have to go home after all, just for a lie down. It was all a lot of change to process, but he did feel a little lighter at the decision. If he had somewhere he felt more comfortable, he could at least be less of a burden on his friends and that alone would be worth it. 

Jisung thought of that apartment and his bedroom that had barely changed since he and his Dad had last decorated it when he was thirteen years old and for once he almost felt fond, but it wasn’t his. That life had long gone, and maybe if that place also became a memory instead of a haunting reminder, that fond feeling could spread through more of his memories and make moving on a little bit easier. 

“I’m gonna call my Dad,” Jisung announced, standing up. 

The other two boys looked up, pausing whatever conversation they had been having while Jisung was lost in his head. 

“You don’t want to think about it?” Chan questioned, aware that he’d been ordering Jisung to think about a lot of things recently, but at least this was a decision he supported. 

Jisung shook his head, pulling his phone from his pocket. “Thanks, Binnie” he said, one hand on the door knob.

Changbin nodded at him from the sofa and if Chan looked a little worried, he chose not to voice his concerns. 

-

Minho leaned back on his hands, stretching his legs out in front of him. Sweat trickled from his hairline, but he smiled. 

“That went well, right?” he asked, looking over at the boy beside him. 

Hyunjin nodded, tipping his head back to rest against the mirrored wall. “I think so. Even the new kid said you did well”. 

Minho hummed, pleased. He didn’t usually get nervous, but he’d felt a little on edge all morning and although the feeling had eased now that his first rehearsal was out of the way, he definitely still felt off. 

“Felix? He was good. I’m impressed” said Minho, slowly turning his feet from side to side. “I also don’t know what you’ve been complaining about, he seemed nice to me. Lovely even.”

Hyunjin tutted, grabbing the water bottle from beside him. “He still replaced me. He’s Seungmin’s new roommate and he’s all attractive and blonde…”

“Hyunjin, you’re attractive and blonde” Minho pointed out with a smirk. 

“But he’s also really cute!” 

“Fair” Minho allowed, “you’re attractive and blonde, but you ain’t cute.”

Hyunjin sent the older boy a glare and Minho shrugged. 

“You’ve been pouting all week. Is this really because Seungmin got a new roommate? He’s been living in halls since term started.” 

The other boy stayed quiet and Minho shuffled over to nudge his foot against his calf. “You’re wearing your ring again” he tried. 

Hyunjin nodded and took a long drink of water. “I wasn’t learning anything new. Whoever they are, they listen to the same songs over and over again and they play really bad guitar” he said, screwing the lid back on his bottle and slotting it between his legs. 

“Bad guitar?”

“Oh yeah” Hyunjin said with a laugh. “I’m not exaggerating, they’re awful. Sometimes anyway. I… that’s not important.” 

Minho rolled his eyes. “You’re impossible, you know that? You have a soulmate and your biggest issue is that they’re not talented enough?”

“That’s not the point” Hyunjin whined, “I’m just sick of waiting around.”

“Then do something about it,” Minho suggested, reaching up to stretch his arms behind his head. “It’s not fun for us singles, you’re lucky. I have to sit here waiting for the man of my dreams to decide to show up.”

“Waiting around?” Hyunjin scoffed, “And what if your soulmate isn’t even a guy?”

Minho stared back at Hyunjin, his face deadpan. 

“I will swap your shampoo for mayonnaise.”

“Okay, okay…” Hyunjin laughed, holding up his hands, “all I’m saying is you seem to be finding ways to occupy yourself”. 

“So maybe I’m not ready to settle down yet” Minho allowed. “There is…”

“No.”

“What?!” Minho protested. 

“If you’re about to say the cute guy that works at the cafe, I’m not listening.”

Minho sighed, folding his arms across his chest. “I just think that if we casually hung out there then maybe we would bump into him again.”

“I don’t understand why you can’t pester Changbin about this, he’s your roommate and he practically owns the cafe. I’m pretty sure he’d know who this guy is” Hyunjin said, pulling his bag towards him and slotting his bottle inside. 

“First of all” Minho countered, “I don’t pester. And secondly, that’s way too much. It should be breezy. I don’t want to seem too eager.”

“Oh no. Wouldn’t want to seem eager. Not like you’ve told me about this boy fifteen times in the last forty eight hours,” Hyunjin mumbled, packing up his things and zipping his bag shut. 

“I’ve helped you with your love life, it’s your duty to do the same!”

“I’m trying to find my literal soulmate, you just want to have sex with this guy because you think he looks cute in his little apron” Hyunjin argued. 

“I said no such thing.” Minho pouted, pulling his knees up to his chest. 

Maybe he had mentioned the apron thing once or twice, but he couldn’t be blamed when the boy simply was that cute, and it was probably easier to let Hyunjin go on thinking that that was why he was so interested in seeing the boy again. There was no need to admit that the boy at the cafe made his heart genuinely race a little. That when he had come back from the bathroom he had switched chairs so that he could stare at him a little easier. Or that when the other boy behind the counter had made him laugh, he wanted to cup the boy’s cheeks and feel that smile against his own lips. 

Hyunjin was staring at him, one eyebrow quirked and Minho realised that he had probably said something. 

“What?!” he said defensively, “I’m just saying we could get coffee after all this physical activity. Just two friends hanging out.”

Hyunjin hummed, pushing Minho’s own bag towards him.

“If you don’t want to come, then I guess I’ll just have to find my fun elsewhere,” Minho continued, taunting him. “Now that you mention it, that Felix is cute...”

“You wouldn’t dare” Hyunjin warned, his eyes widening as the other boy stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder with a smirk. 

Hyunjin pushed himself to his feet, stepping towards Minho with a pleading look. “Don’t you even think about it. Seungmin would kill you for a start and I’m not dealing with that.”

“I’m a free man, Hwang Hyunjin. A free, free man!” Minho declared, backing from the room with a cackle, Hyunjin hot on his heels. 

-

Looking around the empty apartment, Jisung smiled to himself. He liked the bareness of it, the white walls and standard furniture. 

“I’ll give you guys some time to look around and wait out the front,” the landlord offered. He’d explained all of the appliances, rules, bills and nearby shops and cafes like Jisung hadn’t lived five minutes away all his life. Chan had hummed, nodding at his words and asking questions Jisung would never have thought to, but he was grateful for the answers. He thought he even saw the older boy taking notes. 

Jisung nodded, thanking the man as he headed out. Standing in the middle of the living room, Jisung looked at the sofa and tried to imagine himself there laid back watching a movie, or with Chan and Changbin crowded around him playing video games. 

“The guy owns a bunch of these places and rents them out to students,” Chan said, peering into the tiny kitchen. 

Jisung hummed, taking a cautious seat on the sofa. “I like it” he said decisively. 

“Well that’s good, because you’ve already told your Dad you’re moving out.”

Jisung smiled, leaning back further into the seat.

“I was feeling brave. If I thought it through, I would’ve chickened out, so I just went for it. Everything Changbin said made sense and my Dad’s going to keep the old place until he can come and move the old stuff out, so what’s the harm?”

Chan smiled at the younger boy, sitting beside him and wrapping his arm tightly around his shoulders. He bounced lightly, pushing a hand into the sofa cushion between them. “Ooo it’s good. This is a nice sofa. Comfy but not too soft.”

“Argh!” Jisung protested, squirming. “You sound ancient right now.” 

Chan ignored him, leaning closer. “I’m proud of you, Sungie” He cooed, pressing a kiss to Jisung’s cheek. 

Jisung wiggled out of his grasp and Chan laughed, leaning back. 

“I thought Changbin said the guy would meet us here?” he asked. 

“I think he said at three, he had a class,” Jisung replied, looking around the room. 

The small living room held a sofa, small coffee table, a rug and a tv on a stand in the corner. He thought of all the furniture in his current apartment and wondered if his father would simply throw it all away, or if he’d keep it in some storage unit somewhere, not that that made any sense. He had little use for anything left in that apartment, each of the items replaced and upgraded for his new home. 

“Have you considered that this could be him?” Chan pondered, the words slipping out without really meaning to, Jisung’s head slowly turning towards the other boy. 

“Him?” he asked, hoping Chan was not suggesting what he thought. 

Chan’s cheeks flushed as he cleared his throat, sitting up. “I mean… I…” he stammered, “I was just thinking, I didn’t mean…” 

“No, Chan. Please. Go on...” Jisung let out a small laugh, his eyes wide. 

“They say most people meet their soulmate naturally is all” Chan hurried to explain. “I just wondered if you’d considered that.”

“I hadn’t!” Jisung exclaimed, “but now I’m thinking about it”. 

The younger boy stood up, wiping his palms on the front of his jeans. Chan was right and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered it, but then again he’d been very forcefully not thinking about that. And yet everything had fallen into place far too easily. A boy who needed a new flatmate halfway through the semester, and just happened to know Changbin? That sounded far too much like destiny for Jisung’s liking. 

“This is your fault” he accused, trying to stem his own panic. 

Chan walked over to the younger boy, approaching him cautiously. “I know. I shouldn’t have said that, I’m a complete idiot, but y'know it’s so unlikely, right? There’s no way.” 

“Is there no way?” Jisung shot back, shaking out his hands at his sides. “I’m gonna throw up again.”

Chan bit back a smile, grabbing Jisung by the hands. “Stop panicking about something that probably won’t happen. If you throw up on this rug, we’re going to have to pay for it.” 

Jisung frowned at his friend. “Do you know how anxiety works? I can’t just choose not to panic. Panicking about things that might never happen is kinda the entire thing.”

“But I know you, Jisung and I know when you’re really not okay and when you’re just being dumb.”

“Did you just called me dumb?” Jisung asked, laughing in disbelief. “I expect this from Changbin, but you...”

Chan rolled his eyes, moving his hands to Jisung’s cheeks. “Look at you. I wasn't joking before, I’m stupidly proud of you. If this had happened two years ago, you wouldn’t be standing here right now. You wouldn’t have gone to class the next day and you wouldn’t be considering moving out that’s for sure.”

Jisung looked away, a smile threatening to break through his stubborn pout. He was used to Chan being sweet and affectionate while he was unwell, or down, or in the quiet moments that they whispered their worries into the darkness, but he wasn’t used to it like this. Not so directly. 

He licked his lips and met Chan’s eyes. 

“If I promise not to throw up, will you stop this before one of us cries? Because I’m not being funny, but it’s probably going to be you.”

Chan laughed, letting Jisung go. He was about to say something else, when he was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. 

“Is it him?” Chan asked, his eyes lighting up. 

“Oh god” Jisung groaned as Chan tugged on his sleeve. 

“C‘mon.. best smiles!” 

Jisung rolled his eyes, but let himself be led out into the hallway, coming to an abrupt stop when he saw the figure closing the door behind himself. He could feel Chan’s eyes on him as he stared at the boy in front of him, an equally horrified expression staring right back. 

“You…” 

“Hell fucking no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/)! Come and say hi :)


	4. Chapter 4

“You…” 

“Hell fucking no”. 

-

Jisung crossed his arms, the boy in front of him looking as displeased as he felt. Hyunjin stood in front of the door to the flat, dressed in a thick jumper, half of his hair tied back except for a few pieces framing his face. He was very handsome, Jisung had to admit and his mind raced through both the panic of having to share a flat with the other boy and the possible implication of Chan suggesting he could be _the one_. 

His eyes flicked to Hyunjin’s hand, noting a thick silver band similar to his own on the boy’s right ring finger. He didn’t think Seungmin had ever mentioned if he had connected or not and Jisung wracked his brain to remember if they had discussed it that night that they had first met. 

Chan’s eyes flicked between the two boys, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Do you guys know each other?” he asked finally when it seemed like neither of them were going to expand more than staring one another down. 

“Hyunjin” the blonde boy greeted, breaking eye contact with Jisung and offering a hand to Chan who shook it quickly. 

“This is not happening” muttered Jisung, watching the exchange. 

“I’m not exactly thrilled either,” said Hyunjin dryly, and Jisung realised he hadn’t spoken as quietly as he had intended. 

Chan’s eyes widened suddenly like he had just figured something out and Jisung tensed up immediately. “Wait… Hyunjin as in Hyunjin, Hyunjin?” 

Jisung shook his head quickly, shooting a warning look at his friend. The last thing he needed was Chan making some kind of embarrassing comment that Hyunjin could run with, especially if it now seemed like they might have to actually live with one another. 

“You’ve told people about me?” Hyunjin asked, his voice dripping with false sweetness. He laughed when Jisung switched his glare to him instead, holding up his hands. 

“Don’t worry, roomie. I’m sure it’s all good” he added. 

Jisung could see Chan biting back a laugh and he elbowed him in the ribs. Honestly, Jisung questioned whose side he was supposed to be on. 

“It is Jisung that I have the pleasure of sharing with, right?” Hyunjin continued as he strolled further into the flat, looking around. 

Jisung shot Chan a final threatening look as they followed him and sent a silent prayer that the older boy knew better than to mention _that night_. 

“Unfortunately you don’t have the pleasure of rooming with me, no” replied Chan, smiling warmly. “It’s nice though, right? Especially for so late in the year. Apparently the last guy dropped out, so you’ve been lucky.”

“It’s a miracle” Jisung murmured sarcastically, running his hand along the back of one of the chairs of the small dining table in the corner of the room. 

“Yeah, I saw it a few days ago but I could never afford the rent on my own” Hyunjin replied, glancing past Chan to meet Jisung’s eyes. 

They had actually gotten along that night. It was over a year ago now, only a few months into their first year when Seungmin had dragged them both along to some party a second year was throwing. He’d been so excited to introduce Jisung to his roommate and they’d hit it off instantly, the two of them bonding over teasing Seungmin and their equally silly sense of humour. Jisung’s memory was a little hazy in parts, but he remembered them hiding out in the kitchen, exchanging stories over a few drinks and then being coaxed to dance, propping one another up as they stumbled rather than danced to the music, giggling into each other’s shoulder. It had been nice, until it wasn’t. Until the party began to die down and only a few of them remained and things went to shit. All because of that dumb game. 

Jisung looked away and cleared his throat. “I’m going to go look at the bedrooms again” he said, pushing off from where he’d been leaning a hand on the table and heading down the hallway. 

He could hear the other boys talking, discussing wifi and how close they would be to campus as he perched on the edge of the bare mattress in one of the rooms. 

“He’s not always so moody,” said Chan, breaking the short silence that had fallen over the two boys. 

Hyunjin laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s cool. Seungmin is always telling how well we would get on… that’s how we know one another. He introduced us at some party.”

“Oh, I’ve heard” Chan cut in. 

“Well, yeah. I think this is kind of our thing now anyway” Hyunjin explained with a shrug, “and we have a class together this semester, so we’re going to have to put up with one another at some point”. 

Chan hummed, examining the TV in the corner of the room. “I think this might be a little more intense than a one hour class.”

Hyunjin sighed, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his coat. “I need this. I can’t stay where I am and like I said, anywhere half decent is either way too expensive or has been snapped up months ago. I know he’s not my biggest fan, but if I have to put up with Han Jisung for a few hours a day rather than carry on living at home, then so be it.”

Chan went to speak, turning towards the other boy and Hyunjin held up a hand. “I know he’s your friend. Seungmin has told me how close you guys are, but I promise you, despite what everyone seems to think, I don’t hate him”. 

Chan stayed quiet, his eyes searching Hyunjin’s face until he finally nodded. “I don’t think I’ll be the one you need to convince anyway,” he said, smiling as he spied Jisung hesitantly leaning around the doorway. 

“Alright.” Jisung said and Hyunjin’s head snapped up. “Let’s give it a go.” 

-

Hyunjin had mentioned he was meeting Seungmin for dinner, and with a pointed look from Chan, Jisung had agreed that they would tag along. Although Hyunjin had largely chatted to Chan on the short walk back to campus, Jisung had kept all sarcastic comments to a minimum and he really tried to keep his face neutral, which he deemed to be progress. He hoped that once they lived together, being pleasant wouldn’t be quite so much effort. 

“What’s the plan for tonight?” he asked as they headed towards one of the accommodation blocks. 

“Seungmin mentioned pizza I think. We usually just order a bunch and hang out in someone’s room” Hyunjin replied, pulling out his phone as they reached the main doors. 

After a few minutes Seungmin appeared, wearing a hoodie, a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms and a wide smile as he opened the door for them. 

The four of them ended up spread across Seungmin’s dorm room, pizza boxes dotted between them. 

“This was a bad idea” Hyunjin groaned from his place on the desk chair. “I have dance all day tomorrow.”

Seungmin laughed, shuffling back on his bed to rest his back against the wall watching as Jisung rubbed his own stomach, his head hanging off the edge of the small bed. 

Chan wrinkled his nose at the sight of him. “Why are you always upside down? And after so much food” he asked, reaching up from his spot on the ground to tickle the side of Jisung’s neck.

Jisung squirmed, pushing his hand away. “It’s comfortable” he whined, “and I’ve had a tough day. I needed cheese.”

Seungmin grinned, nudging a foot against Jisung’s stomach. “I still can’t believe this. You two living together. I thought it was a joke when Hyunjin text me.”

“Shut up” Hyunjin responded and Jisung smiled.

“How has the mentoring been going?” Chan asked and Seungmin perked up. 

“Really good,” he replied. “Sunwoo Has only locked himself out of his room once so far this week, which is a marked improvement on last semester and there haven't been any parties too crazy so far. Although I did hear campus police ended up at one of the other blocks a few nights ago.”

Chan winced. “I heard, but thankfully that’s not my problem. If you ever have any problems or you’re not sure what to do, feel free to give me a call.”

“Of course,” Seungmin said with a smile. “I’m sure something will come up, we had enough incidents in our first year so something has to go wrong sooner or later.”

Hyunjin huffed out a laugh and nodded. “Do you remember when I had that assignment due and we couldn’t find the building to hand it in? We were traipsing around campus at eleven at night.”

“And you were in a full panic! You wanted to drop out and live under my bed until you could face telling your parents.” Seungmin laughed, pulling his knees up to his chest. 

“Well it’s your fault, I was writing the damn thing at 9pm after forcing me to play video games all afternoon.”

Chan sat up, looking up at Hyunjin from his spot on the ground. “Y’know, you can always just hand it in at reception if it’s closer, they have to collect all the posted assignments from there anyway.”

“Are you kidding?!” Hyunjin exclaimed, laughing as Seungmin looked on amazed. “I got a blister trying to find that place!” 

“Hyung, you have to tell us all of your secrets!” Seungmin begged. 

Jisung watched his friends fondly, pride swelling in his chest. He was usually the one being guided by Chan, but it was different to see from the outside and he almost felt a little emotional. Of course he knew the other boy was out there, volunteering, going to classes and making friends, but Jisung had shut himself away for so long that he’d never really got to experience it in person. Sometimes he felt like Chan existed solely as his person and Jisung forced himself not to let any foolish feelings of jealousy grow as he saw the way he acted with the other boys and how much they had quickly grown to adore him. 

“I don’t know, they’re very valuable secrets,” said Chan with a grin. His eyes shone and Jisung could tell he was enjoying this. 

“He doesn’t even tell me these things” Jisung huffed, pouting. 

“Can you be my mentor too?” Hyunjin asked, smiling sweetly. 

Chan pushed the edge of his seat, spinning the other boy away from him. “Ask Seungmin for my number, but I’m not getting involved if the campus police come for you.”

Hyunjin pushed a loose piece of hair from his face, meeting Jisung’s eyes where he now faced him. “I’ll be good,” he vowed. 

Jisung gave him a small smile before flipping over to lie on his stomach, letting his arms dangle off the edge of the mattress. 

He felt surprisingly relaxed laying there with his friends. Well, his friends and Hyunjin. They had joked as they ate, Chan and Seungmin each sharing stories about the other two boys like embarrassing parents and every so often Jisung and Hyunjin had shared a look of amusement or despair that made Jisung’s anxiety about the decision he had made ease just a little. He still didn’t like the other boy, far from it, but perhaps it would be bearable. The constant chatter had at least kept his mind occupied, and having something else to worry about was actually nice. At least he could face this problem head on. 

He brought his hands together where they dangled, one of his fingers brushing over the metal of his ring, caressing it gently. His eyes flickered from their spot on the ground over to Hyunjin who was chatting animatedly to Seungmin about something. 

Jisung was about to speak when a sudden commotion interrupted his thoughts, all of the other boys in the room turning towards the door they had propped open incase Jeongin popped by. Seungmin had told them he was at some club meeting, so he couldn’t join them and Jisung didn’t comment on his disappointed expression, although he might’ve given him a private smirk on their way up the stairs. Seungmin had only rolled his eyes in response, but he couldn’t hold back his small reluctant smile. 

Sitting up slowly, Jisung saw the subject of their excitement. Chan had barrelled into whoever had appeared and had him in such a tight embrace that the other boy’s feet almost came off the ground. The boy was laughing, but Jisung couldn’t see his face as it was pressed into his friend’s shoulder. He had blonde hair, shorter and sunnier than Hyunjin’s and he wore a white tshirt tucked into a pair of back jeans. 

“Felix!” Seungmin called, grinning at the display in front of him. 

_Felix_. A smile spread over Jisung’s own face as he understood exactly who Chan was currently suffocating. Chan pulled back and cupped the younger boys cheeks, the two of them grinning at one another. 

“I still can’t believe you’re here” Chan was babbling, in English “I know you told me you were coming, but like you are, you’re actually here. This is so cool.”

Felix giggled, nodding. “It’s good to see you, Channie” he said, his voice soft, looking up at the other boy with huge eyes. 

“Jisung!” Chan suddenly called, waiving him over. 

Jisung slid off the bed and raised a hand in greeting. “Hey. Felix, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“You too” said Felix, nodding, “it’s good to finally meet you.”

“Chan didn’t even mention you were coming! What is this? A visit?” Jisung asked, giving Chan an accusing look. 

“No.” Felix laughed, leaning into Chan’s side where the older boy had wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “I’m here on exchange until the end of the semester.”

“How did you not tell me this?!” Jisung exclaimed. 

Chan laughed, shaking his head. “I don’t know, there’s been a lot going on recently. And he only thought to tell me himself last week.”

Felix held up his hands defensively at Chan’s accusing stare. “Hey, I wasn’t sure I was going to come until the last minute. It’s kinda terrifying and… I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

Chan’s grip on the boy tightened. “Well, I’ll be here to help you and Jisung. You won’t be alone.”

“And you know Changbin, right?” Jisung added eagerly. “He said he met you in Australia.”

Felix’s smile faltered for a moment and Jisung thought he saw a blush rise on the boy’s freckled cheeks. 

“Yeah, I met Changbin” he replied, moving out of Chan’s grip gently and hiking his backpack up where it was slung over one shoulder. 

“Well, he’ll be pleased to see you too. It’ll be a fun surprise” said Chan and Felix gave him a weak smile, messing with the hair on the back of his neck. 

“What are you even doing here?” Chan questioned, “I thought we were going to hang out this weekend once you’d settled in.”

Felix passed Chan to throw his backpack onto the empty bed on the other side of the room, his face breaking back out into a grin. “I live here,” he said, giving Seungmin a little wave. 

“Felix is your new roommate?” Jisung asked, staring accusingly at Seungmin. 

“I mean, yeah… I didn’t know you knew him.”

Chan shook his head, laughing. “Today is too weird.”

“I don’t like it,” Hyunjin agreed. “Far too many coincidences.”

“Must be fate” Felix added with a grin and Jisung’s stomach twisted. 

-

After encouraging Felix to finish off half of the leftover cold pizza, Chan had ended up sat opposite him, legs crossed on Felix’s bed as they chatted excitedly. Jisung smiled as he watched them, it must have been almost a year since they had seen each other in person. Chan hadn't made the trip back since last Christmas, and he looked truly ecstatic to have a little piece of home in front of him. As far as he knew, Felix had lived near to him in Australia and the boys’ families had been friends. He was the only friend from home that Chan still mentioned with any frequency and Jisung had always questioned if it was possible for anyone to be as wonderful as the picture Chan painted of the boy. They had only just met, but Jisung had to admit Felix was doing a pretty good job. 

“You alright?” Seungmin plopped on the bed beside Jisung, reaching over him to grab his glass off the nightstand. 

Jisung hummed in response. “They’re cute,” he noted. 

Seungmin smiled, watching the two boys quietly for a moment as he sipped at his water. 

“Are you really going to live with Hyunjin?”

Jisung rested his head back against the wall behind them, brushing his hair back. “Apparently so.”

“Only you barely made it through a one hour class together,” Seungmin added, raising his eyebrows. 

“We’ll be fine.” 

“Is all of this really still about that night at the party?” Seungmin asked, sitting up straighter. 

“Why don’t you ask him?”

“He won’t talk to me about it,” said Seungmin, sounding exasperated.

“We’ll be fine, Seungmin.”

“Just because of that dumb game?” 

“Seungmin…” Jisung warned, meeting his eyes. “I’m not going to kill him in his sleep or something, and I really need you to not talk me out of this”. 

“Okay” Seungmin agreed with a nod, letting the subject drop. 

Jisung felt bad, he knew the other boy must be curious about what had happened that night, and yet he had never pried, and he’d always stuck by Jisung despite his issues with Hyunjin. He continued to help him study and invite him along to things, no matter how often Jisung wriggled out of plans or kept him at arm's length. You always knew where you stood with Seungmin and his friendship and support was unconditional and that was something Jisung appreciated much more than he’d ever shown him. 

He leaned a little closer to the other boy and rested his head on his shoulder. “Thanks” he murmured, and when he looked up Seungmin was smirking. 

“Maybe you guys just have a lot of… tension.” he suggested. 

Jisung sat up right, spluttering and mentally taking back any pleasant thoughts he had had. Seungmin was giggling now, grabbing a throw pillow and clutching it to his chest and Jisung’s shock turned into a frown. 

“That is not funny” he said with a pout. 

Seungmin shrugged, his face gleeful. “You shouldn’t make comments about me if you’re not prepared to take it back.”

“I… That’s different!” Jisung exclaimed. 

“What’s different?” Hyunjin asked, climbing onto the end of the bed, and swinging his feet into Seungmin’s lap. 

Seungmin looked over at Jisung expectantly, laying his hands over Hyunjin’s ankles and Jisung’s frown deepened. His cheeks flushed when he realised how quiet the room had become, both Chan and Felix watching him from the bed opposite . 

“Nothing” he said, pointingly not making eye contact with Seungmin for fear of what expression he would be making. Chan raised an eyebrow at him, but he cleared his throat and directed his gaze to the blonde boy beside him. 

“What are you studying, Felix? Do you think we’ll share any classes?” he asked and Felix’s face lit up, turning to face the other boys. 

“Oh! I’m studying to become a teacher” he explained excitedly, “but I’m in a mix of first and second year lectures with how things translated over and I’ve joined the dance team.” 

“You dance? Are you good?” 

“He’s more than good” Hyunjin cut in, only sounding a little bitter. 

Felix blushed, shaking his head. “I’m okay. I’ve been dancing for a long time, but everyone here is incredible. You must know how good Hyunjin is, and I’m not as good as him. He’s so elegant!”

When Jisung looked at the other boy, the expression on his face seemed alien. He might’ve said that Hyunjin almost looked embarrassed or even shy, ducking his head with perhaps the most genuine smile he had seen. 

“I’m okay, but I’m not a patch on Minho,” he said, pushing his hair back awkwardly like he had forgotten that it was tied up. 

Jisung was impressed by how quickly Felix had broken him as Felix nodded in agreement and the two began to babble about techniques and some of the other boys in their class. Granted, Jisung hadn’t spent much time with him but it was a softer and warmer side to Hyunjin that Jisung had forgotten existed since that night that they had met, and the way that Seungmin was watching the exchange with fond amusement told him that something about this was unusual to him to. 

Even when Felix mentioned going to get a drink, Hyunjin offered to go with him and bring one back for the rest of them, the two boys laughing on their way out the door. 

“Wow” said Seungmin as the door closed. “He’s been pouting about Felix replacing him all week, and five minutes with the kid and they’re best friends!”

Chan laughed, nodding. “That’s Felix. His charm is irresistible.” 

“He’s adorable,” Jisung agreed. “I didn’t know Hyunjin could be like that.”

“He’s not as evil as you seem to think,” said Seungmin thoughtfully. “I’ve told you that your perception of him is skewed. He’s actually very sweet, despite the aura he sometimes has.”

Jisung hummed doubtfully. He wasn’t really sure why, he had seen it with his own eyes and he knew Seungmin wouldn’t be friends with someone if they were truly awful, but by some reflex Jisung just couldn’t give in to letting his guard down where Hyunjin was concerned. 

“He’s been nothing but pleasant to me,” Chan added. “He actually said earlier that he’s been having a tough time recently and that he felt bad for being snappy with you the other day.”

Chan aimed his last comment at Jisung, receiving a betrayed look in return. They had both acted equally petty and Hyunjin going around telling everyone how guilty he felt, or apologising like he was the bigger person rubbed Jisung the wrong way. 

“I’m not saying you should be best friends” Chan continued, before Jisung could protest, “I get that you two have some weird thing and I’m always going to be on your side, you know that, but you of all people should know that people can have bad days or be dealing with crap. I just think that if you’re going to make this work, you have to give him a chance.”

Jisung whined, flopping to his side so that his head fell into Seungmin’s lap. No matter what Chan said, he wasn’t prepared to roll over and suddenly play happy families, but he also knew that being difficult wouldn’t help either of them. That didn’t mean he could pout about it though. 

“Can’t I have Felix instead?”

“No way” Seungmin scoffed. “He’s clean and he's quiet and he brings me snacks. He might actually be an angel.”

“No wonder you missed him,” Jisung said to Chan with a sigh and the older boy smiled fondly. 

“He’s like my little brother” he explained, “I’ve known him since we were tiny, but I don’t know… it’s been so long since I’ve seen him and yet nothings changed. It’s like I pushed him away because it was too hard. Talking to him just made me miss home.”

Jisung pushed himself up, watching as Chan picked at the seam of his trousers where his legs were crossed. He knew Chan struggled with missing home sometimes, but it had been a long time since he’d seen the other boy so sad thinking about it. Jisung thought it might be as much the guilt of not staying in contact with Felix, as it was actual sadness. A thought pushed its way into his mind that he had been too reliant, that he took up so much of Chan’s time that he’d had to sacrifice parts of his own life, but Jisung refused to let it take hold. Not here anyway. Not now. 

Opening an arm, Jisung gestured the older boy over and Seungmin shuffled to make him space. Chan laughed, his eyes a little watery but he climbed up and squeezed in between the two of them. 

“Is this weird?” he asked, throwing an arm around the two boys as Jisung grabbed a blanket and threw it over their legs. 

“Surprisingly not” replied Seungmin, “but it’s been a weird day.”

“More like a weird week” Jisung countered and he felt Chan laugh beside him. 

“We should watch a movie when the other two get back” Seungmin suggested and Jisung and Chan made noises of agreement. “Although they’re taking their sweet time.” 

“Maybe they’re making out in the kitchen” Jisung suggested sarcastically. “Hyunjin loved all those compliments he was getting.” 

Chan tutted at his comment and he heard Seungmin let out a snort. 

“I think his soulmate might take issue with that.”

“His soulmate?” Jisung questioned, leaning around Chan to look at Seungmin. 

“Yeah. He connected recently. He’s been trying to figure out who the guy is, but he’s been in a foul mood since it happened. He can’t find the guy... or girl I guess and he’s being awfully melodramatic about the whole thing.” 

Chan cast Jisung a look and he shook his head quickly. 

“What?” Seungmin asked, watching their exchange, “what’s going on?” 

“Jisung connected and he’s scared that Hyunjin is his soulmate.”

Jisung stared at Chan, horrified as Seungmin’s mouth popped open. 

“Traitor” Jisung accoused, leaning away from Chan with a frown. 

“Oh c'mon… we need to know” said Chan. 

Seungmin’s mouth still hung agape, his brow furrowed and Jisung could practically see his brain trying to comprehend the words. 

“I… when did you?” Seungmin asked. 

Jisung looked down as his lap, fingers going to twist his ring from habit, but pausing when he remembered the blister still on his finger, the reddened skin like a blaring reminder that something had happened. It was like his body was screaming from inside, wanting the band off, gone. He swallowed thickly and felt Chan’s hand move to his thigh, squeezing firmly. 

Counting to five and slowing his breaths, Jisung looked up, finding Chan’s reassuring face first, an apology in his eyes, before looking across at Seungmin who still looked confused but also concerned. 

“I’m gonna get some water” he said, standing and squeezing Chan’s hand as he moved it from his leg. 

“Ji...” the older boy started and Jisung smiled. It was genuine, knowing that Chan would never usually push him like this, and that he only ever tried to help, but Jisung needed a moment. He could feel the familiar suffocating feeling creeping over his skin and he didn’t want Seungmin seeing him like that. It would be even worse if Hyunjin came back, then he would look a complete fool. 

“I promise it’s alright, I just need a drink.”

Jisung headed down the hallway, knowing that Chan would probably be feeling guilty now and that only made him feel guilty too, but if he could take five now he could go back and play normal for the rest of the evening and hopefully Chan would be put at ease. 

It was weird though, how much Chan had been pushing him with the move and Hyunjin and now bringing up this in front of Seungmin. He’d been acting weird ever since Jisung had connected, and perhaps it was about Jisung not missing out, or this dumb two week deadline that really didn’t mean anything, but Jisung couldn’t help but feel like there was more to it. Maybe Jisung had been way too clingy and he’d finally found his opportunity to kindly get rid. 

He pushed open the heavy door that led to the stairway with a little more force than necessary and almost jumped out of his skin when he collided with another body. 

“Sorry” he said quickly, pressing his hands to the other boy's chest to steady himself and then pulling them back quickly when he realised what he had done. 

The other boy was apologising too, grabbing the door so it didn’t close on them. He was a little taller than Jisung and his eyes were wide as he spoke, moving to the side so that Jisung could pass. He recognised him, the same handsome face and soft brown hair from the other day at the cafe and Jisung realised he was still standing there staring dumbly. 

It wasn’t until he moved that Jisung noticed that there was somebody else there. A familiar blonde head bobbing up the last few stairs. 

“Jisung!” Felix said with a smile. “You alright? I just let Minho in, Hyunjin text him that there was still pizza, and we’re going to go over some ideas for rehearsal tomorrow.”

Minho raised a hand, giving him a small wave. “Minho” he explained, holding his hands out to gesture towards himself. 

Fantastic, Jisung thought to himself. The last thing he needed right now was Seungmin’s stupidly handsome friend standing in front of him, with his cheeks flushed from being outside and his curious gaze focused solely on him. 

“Right…” Jisung laughed, nodding. “Hi. Um, sorry for… for the collision.”

Minho was watching him babble with an amused expression and Jisung could feel himself blushing. 

“I’m just.. I’m going outside. For air” he continued. “I’ll be back.”

Felix nodded, looking a little confused but turned to let him pass as Jisung made a hasty exit down the stairs. 

“It was nice to meet you...” Minho called after him. 

“Jisung” he heard Felix supply and Minho spoke the words again. His voice was softer, but the words still carried in the quiet of the stairway. 

“Nice to meet you, Jisung.”

-

Chan found him on a bench outside of the accommodation block about twenty minutes later, Jisung’s jacket in his hand. He sat quietly beside the other boy, watching as Jisung pulled on his jacket and pushed his cold fingers between his thighs to keep them warm. 

“I’ll come back up now,” he said. 

“You don’t have to. Seungmin told them you didn’t feel well… if you want to go.” Chan offered. 

Jisung nibbled at his bottom lip. He didn’t want to leave, he’d been having a nice time and he knew Chan probably wanted to spend more time with Felix. Hyunjin was up there and they were supposed to be bonding or whatever and then there was Minho, and if the prospect of that face didn’t make him want to go back in, Jisung wasn’t sure what could, and yet the idea of leaving was just easy. Sometimes easy was so appealing and safe that it could beat everything else. Sometimes all Jisung wanted was the absence of worry.

“Okay” he whispered, instantly feeling lighter. It was a weird feeling, the combination of relief and the guilt of knowing he wasn’t doing what he should, but after the last few days, Jisung just needed to breathe. 

Chan stood, not showing a hint of any disappointment and smiled brightly at the younger boy, tugging him up by his arm. “C’mon then. Let’s walk back and stop by the Cafe. We can say hi to Changbin and get some coffee.”

“And some cake?”

“And some cake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I can't believe we're already at chapter 4, but there are some very exciting things to come! I hope you are enjoying it so far, comments and kudos are much appreciated <3 Tell me what you think!
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm still not over Minho's appearance on Chan's Room, but anyways here's the next chapter... 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

“Is this not technically cheating?” Seungmin questioned, peering over his laptop. He, Hyunjin and Felix had moved their study setup to the kitchen, where there was both more space and more snacks. It was more of a general living space, with a large table in the centre and two sofas lining the far walls. It was to be used by their flat which held four rooms and eight boys, plus Hyunjin who had essentially become a squatter. 

Felix was sitting on one of the stools around the table, hunched over Hyunjin’s laptop while the other boy hovered behind him. The two of them had been working on Hyunjin’s English assignment for the last half an hour, with Hyunjin’s confused whining escalating by the minute. When he stopped staring angrily at the screen in front of him and instead began to swivel aimlessly around on his stool in despair, Felix had given in and nudged the other boy out of the way, hopping onto Hyunjin’s stool and pulling the laptop towards himself. 

“I’m not doing it for him. I’m just fixing some of the grammar” Felix murmured, his eyebrows knitting together as he read over the last few sentences. 

“Yeah, he’s just assisting” Hyunjin defended, hooking his chin over Felix’s shoulder. 

“It’s mostly good” Felix added, changing a word and leaning back against Hyunjin’s chest with a smile. “You’re doing better than you think.”

Hyunjin grinned and Seungmin rolled his eyes. “I could have helped you if you needed someone to look over it.”

“Yeah, but Felix is much more pleasant whereas you poke me every time I stop paying attention.”

“Because you should be paying attention! It’s your paper” Seungmin defended. “Jeongin, tell him.”

The youngest boy froze in the doorway where he had just entered the kitchen, wearing sweatpants and a large tshirt, his dark hair soft and unstyled. He was carrying a small stack of plates and his eyes were still small and sleepy. 

“Tell him what?” he asked, looking from Seungmin to Hyunjin who were both staring back at him expectantly. “No, you know what… I’m not getting involved.”

Hyunjin smiled smugly as Jeongin added his plates to the growing pile in the sink and opened the fridge.

“Morning” Felix greeted, smiling warmly as he handed Hyunjin’s laptop back to him so that he could read over the changes he had made, Hyunjin sliding into the seat beside him. 

“Hey,” Jeongin replied, ruffling both boy’s hair as he passed, receiving a smile from Felix and a glare from Hyunjin. 

“Are you coming with us to help Hyunjin move tomorrow?” Felix asked. 

“What time?” 

“I dunno… we can collect the keys anytime after ten,” Hyunjin replied. 

“Mhm, alright” Jeongin agreed, taking a seat beside Seungmin on the sofa, leaning into the boy’s side. Seungmin glanced up from his laptop and Jeongin met his eyes for a moment before both boys quickly looked away, Seungmin tucking his lip between his teeth as he continued typing. 

Hyunjin watched as Seungmin adjusted his laptop on his lap, uncrossing one of his legs and shifting a little closer to Jeongin in the process. Jeongin was watching whatever Seungmin was typing with a small smile, his hand resting gently on the other boy's arm, his cheek on his shoulder. The two of them had been close since they’d met at the start of the school year; Jeongin’s first and Seungmin’s second, but Hyunjin had noticed a difference since the summer. The teasing was still there, and their methods of annoyance had always been a little more physical with one another than with Hyunjin or Minho, but there were now these quiet moments too, their knees pressed together where they sat at the table or Jeongin gently playing with the other boy’s hair while they watched a movie. A few days ago, Hyunjin had come back to find the two of them curled around one another like cats, both fast asleep on the sofa. 

He averted his gaze, the sight almost too sweet for the hour of the morning and for how Hyunjin’s own love life had been going recently. He noticed the way Felix was watching them too, as he finished making the bowl of cereal he had abandoned to help Hyunjin. He had paused in front of the fridge, his expression curious until he noticed Hyunjin watching him and quickly replaced the milk, closing the door and bringing his bowl over to the table. 

Hyunjin wondered what the other boy was thinking, what he assumed or how open he and Seungmin were. They’d only been roommates for a couple of weeks, and Seungmin got embarrassed enough talking to Hyunjin about his feelings. In fact, Seungmin hadn’t explicitly said anything to him about Jeongin, and Hyunjin idly wondered if that was because he hadn’t asked. It all seemed so normal to him, that this was how they were, and it was only seeing Felix’s reaction that made him wonder if Seungmin would want to talk to someone about how he felt. 

“Hey, Jinnie…” Jeongin said, interrupting his thoughts and Hyunjin was glad he’d zoned out staring at his laptop rather than directly at the two boys. 

“Yeah?” he replied. 

“If you’re going to have your own place now, does that mean you’ll finally stop hanging out here all the time?”

Seungmin snorted and Hyunjin gaped, Jeongin blinking back at him looking as sweet as ever. Even Felix was biting back a laugh beside him, as Hyunjin looked between the other boys for any kind of support. 

“Not now I won’t” he retorted when he received none, standing up and heading for the sofa.

“No! I didn’t… I don’t mean it like that” Jeongin begged, pulling his knees up defensively, “I was just asking…”

Hyunjin grabbed his ankles, starting to tug him from his seat. 

“Seungmin!!” Jeongin clung tighter to the boy’s arm, laughing.

“Hyunjin, can’t you injure him quietly,” Seungmin asked, moving his laptop out of the way of where Jeongin had started trying to squirm out of his grip. 

“I didn’t mean it! I was asking because I’ll miss you so much!” Jeongin begged, as Hyunjin finally managed to drag him onto the ground, the younger boy’s hair sticking up alarmingly and his cheeks flushed. His tshirt had ridden up and Hyunjin took the opportunity to tickle the exposed skin, Jeongin squealing even louder. 

Hyunjin eventually released him, before they received some kind of noise complaint, both of them panting as Hyunjin climbed back onto his feet, tucking his hair behind his ears and looking satisfied. 

“You better miss me, or I’m moving into your room.”

“I already have a roommate and Sungchan wouldn't put up with you” Jeongin retorted, grinning cheekily. 

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow and Jeongin quickly held up his hands. 

“Couldn't put up with how great you are” he corrected unconvincingly, but Hyunjin was shaking his head fondly. 

“I swear...”

“Is it always like this?” Felix questioned and Seungmin nodded, taking advantage of the extra space of the sofa to stretch out his legs. 

“Pretty much.”

-

It was a few hours later, and with Seungmin in class, Hyunjin had decided that watching movies in the other boy’s bed was an effective use of his afternoon. He had his laptop propped on his knees when his phone suddenly started to buzz and he had to search through the sheets to locate the device. The sound caught Felix’s attention, the other boy watching as Hyunjin managed to find his phone and answer the call. 

“What’s up?” 

The sound of screaming was the only response he received, holding the phone away from his ear for a moment as Felix raised an eyebrow. 

“Minho” he explained simply and Felix laughed, going back to his work. 

“Are you finished?” he tried again once the sound had died down. 

Minho was panting down the phone, letting out a small giggle.

“Yeah. I’m hiding in the kitchen.”

“Are you being murdered or just dramatic?” Hyunjin asked.

“Just annoying Changbin. I think I might’ve pushed him too far.”

“Right. Did you actually need something? Because I’m working.”

Felix snorted, and Hyunjin glared at him.

“Oh!” Minho replied. “Yeah. I was thinking that we could hang out before practice tonight, maybe take a walk around the arts block.”

“As fun as that sounds, is there a reason?”

Minho sighed loudly down the phone. “We’re trying to find your man, plus Changbin says if I stay here all day, he’ll have to gag me.”

“That sounds like something you’d enjoy,” Hyunjin said, pushing himself to sit up. 

“That’s what I said! It seemed to make him madder though. He looked at me a lot like he is right now.”

Hyunjin could hear the muffled sound of Changbin’s annoyance along with several threatening and quite explicit words and he couldn’t help but smile. Minho, on the other hand, was what he could only describe as cackling in response. 

“He told me to go and annoy my little friends instead, by which I assume he means you guys. It's kind of ironic really though, considering the fact that you’re all taller than him.”

Hyunjin heard the sound of something fairly solid colliding with something near the phone, followed by a gasp and the sound of Minho laughing again. 

“I bet that went down well.”

“His rage has reached the point of violence” Minho relayed. “And he has now stropped off and locked himself in his room.”

Hyunjin laughed, shaking his head. “He will evict you if you’re not careful, you do know that.”

“Nah. He loves me too much, he just struggles finding ways to show it sometimes.”

“What did he throw at you?” 

“A shoe!” Minho replied, sounding offended. “But anyway, about tonight… are we or are we not going to hunt down your man?”

“Is this offer out of the kindness of your heart, or because Changbin is kicking you out?” Hyunjin asked. 

Minho hummed. “Both? Either way it’s a good idea.”

“Maybe” Hyunjin allowed. “But just because he likes music, doesn’t mean he spends all of his time in the arts block. He might not even go here. Hell, he might not even be in the country!”

“Mhm. Well why else would he play the guitar so much? Unless…”

“Oh god” Hyunjin whispered, bracing himself. 

“It could be some great tragedy like in that movie. Maybe there’s someone in a coma and he goes to the hospital everyday and plays the guitar for them in case they can hear him.”

“And what movie is this exactly?”

“I dunno, but I bet there is one. It’d be very romantic.”

“So he goes to the hospital and plays the guitar why exactly?” Hyunjin asked, humouring him. 

“Because…” Minho replied, pausing for a moment. “Because it’s his soulmate! He goes there and takes off their rings and he plays everyday, just hoping he can still be heard. Isn’t that heartbreaking?”

“Minho…”

“Mhm?”

“I’m his soulmate.”

“Oh right, yeah…”

“And last time I checked, I’m not in a coma.”

“I’ve got no other ideas then.”

“Cool. I’m hanging up.” Hyunjin said. 

“Wait!” Minho begged. “You have to come and save me.”

“Call Seungmin when he gets out of class, or just apologise to Changbin. I’ll see you at dance.”

Minho huffed, the line going dead before Hyunjin had the chance to hang up. Smiling to himself, he tossed his phone back onto the bed and looked across at Felix. 

“Is he okay?” Felix asked. 

“He will be. You wouldn't know it, but they actually adore each other. How’s it going?”

Hyunjin nodded towards Felix’s work and the other boy shrugged. He was sitting at his desk, taking notes from an uploaded lecture from earlier in the week. Felix’s Korean was good, but sometimes all the stuff written down took a little longer for him to read and process and he would miss bits of what either the lecturer had said, or the content on the board as he simultaneously tried to keep up with them both.

“Alright” he replied, nibbling on his lip as he clicked on the next slide and picked up his pen. He started writing and Hyunjin pulled his laptop back into place, playing his movie again. 

“Hey, Hyunjin…” Felix said after a moment, looking up from his notebook. 

“Yeah?” Hyunjin replied, pausing the video on his laptop with a smile. Felix had cautiously interrupted him a few times to clarify a word he didn’t understand and Hyunjin wanted to make sure the other boy knew that he didn’t mind. If anything, he was only repaying him for his help that morning. 

“You know Seungmin…?” he started, and Hyunjin pulled out his headphones sensing that this would be a different conversation. 

“I know of him,” he replied. 

Felix let out a small laugh and put down his pen. “It’s just… him and Jeongin. He’s never said anything, but I’ve noticed… well, what I mean is like… is…?” 

“Is he gay?” Hyunjin offered, trying to stop the other boy from getting anymore flustered than he already was. 

“I was going to ask if he was dating Jeongin? But, yeah. I guess.” 

Felix’s cheeks were flushed and he let out a small laugh, scratching the back of his neck. Hyunjin considered the question, not only because he wasn’t really sure of the answer, but also because he wasn’t sure if it was his place to give it. He didn’t think that Felix looked uncomfortable at the idea, rather just a little embarrassed by the topic, and from everything Hyunjin had seen he really didn’t think he’d be the type to judge. 

Things had evolved over the years since _the hum_ began. When the universe had decided that two men, or two women, or sometimes several people could be destined to be together, it had become much harder to argue with. Determining sexuality had only really become applicable when it came to dating, and who you were interested in pursuing while you waited to find your soulmate. Once that was decided, whoever it was just _was_. 

“Would it be an issue for you?” he asked tentatively, shuffling to sit up, crossing his legs in front of himself. 

Felix shook his head quickly. “No. Not at all. I was just curious.”

“Good” Hyunjin replied, his expression softening. “I don’t know, to be honest. Seungmin has never said anything to me either way. I always assumed he was straight, until…”

“Until Jeongin?” Felix questioned and Hyunjin nodded, shuffling forward. 

“Please tell me you see it too?” 

“Of course! You don’t live with them” Felix exclaimed and both boys burst out laughing. 

Felix got up to go and sit beside Hyunjin, the two of them collapsing against one another as they giggled. 

“I didn’t even know Jeongin lived on our floor for the first three days, I thought he was just Seungmin’s boyfriend.”

“Then why did you think I was here?” Hyunjin questioned. 

“I don’t know! I was really confused and I didn’t want to ask” said Felix and the two of them burst out laughing again. 

“You know...” Hyunjin began once he had caught his breath, “it’s not even like they’re just being dumb. I really think they both must know that they like each other.”

Felix hummed in agreement. “Maybe they are dating, and they just think we all already know.”

Hyunjin considered the suggestion for a moment, before shaking his head. “Seungmin wouldn’t be that reserved. He gives me the classic romantic type and I’ve never seen them go on anything that could be considered a date.”

“Maybe they are just friends.”

“Maybe” Hyunjin allowed. 

“How about you?” Felix asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Are you single? Have you…?” He glanced down at Hyunjin’s hand and Hyunjin followed his gaze pressing his thumb against his ring. 

“Yeah,” he said. “I have. Have you?”

Felix nodded, holding his hand out to look at his own ring. “It’s weird, right?”

“Right!” Hyunjin agreed. “Have you met yours?”

“I’ve only heard him once,” Felix confessed. 

“Really?”

“Yep. And it’s been… wow, six? No, like eight months.”

Hyunjin let out a long breath. He felt a little guilty for complaining so much about not knowing who his soulmate was or how little he got to hear him, when Felix had essentially nothing to go on at all.

“It's okay. It’s not like it’s anything against me, right?” Felix laughed weekly, looking down at his hands. “He has no idea who I am. But they still must never take their ring off, or want to know. I don’t know, it’s dumb, but... What if they never want me?” 

Hyunjin closed his fingers around the boy’s small hand, squeezing tightly. “Felix” he said softly, “if they’re your soulmate, they’ll find you. They’d be insane not to, and nobody that could be your soulmate would be that mean.”

Felix nodded, letting out a small giggle and Hyunjin’s chest tightened at the sight of the tears that had filled his eyes. 

“Maybe they’re just not ready yet, or it hasn’t started for them. There are cases of connections happening years apart.” 

Felix tugged down the sleeve of his jumper and wiped at his face, smiling. “No, you’re right. I’m sorry, I haven’t really thought about this stuff in a while. Coming here, I think I had some stupid idea that this would be it. That something would happen.”

“It still could,” Hyunjin said, grinning. “Are you sure it’s not me?” 

Felix laughed, sniffling and wiping at his eyes again. “We could test it?” he offered, wriggling his ring off his finger with a smile. 

Pulling off his own ring, Hyunjin’s stomach twisted. “Alright” he agreed. 

It was completely ridiculous, he had no romantic feelings towards the other boy, no matter how pretty and precious he was and it’s not like he’d be mad to have Felix as a soulmate, but he would have hoped to have felt something by now. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help feeling a weird hint of tense excitement as he reached for his headphones, pushing them back into his ears. 

The two boys stared at one another, Felix fingers resting anxiously on the edge of his knees as Hyunjin held his breath as clicked play on a song on his phone. A dumb thought flashed through his mind as he did so. What if this was it, what if this was the moment and he’d so carelessly selected whatever had come on shuffle as the song that would change his life?

Music filled his ears and Hyunjin silently thanked the universe that it was at least a ballad, they could make that work. Felix was blinking back at him, his eyes wide and impossibly serious before suddenly widening. Hyunjin’s chest clenched and he pulled out his headphones quickly. 

“What?” Hyunjin breathed, his fingers finding Felix’s. 

“I don’t hear anything” Felix whispered, a smile spreading across his face.

Hyunjin shoved him gently as the other boy started laughing. 

“Oh my god. Your face.” 

“Shut up” Hyunjin muttered, pushing his ring back on. “It doesn’t even make sense. You don’t even play guitar.”

“How do you know?” Felix protested. 

“Do you?”

“No.”

“There you go then.”

Felix slid his own ring back on. “Your guy plays guitar?” he asked and Hyunjin wrinkled his nose. 

“Badly,” he replied. “Sometimes anyway. Other times he’s pretty good. But that doesn’t make sense”. 

“Maybe he’s getting lessons?” Felix offered. “Maybe you’re hearing him and the teacher, or a friend or someone showing him what to do.”

Hyunjin stared back at the other boy. He’d never thought of that, he’d been focussing more on the other things he’d heard, trying to decipher any possibly useful information, like where this person might live. 

“He likes live music” he offered, in case Felix had any more useful insights. “A few times I’ve heard him and it sounds like the same band, but I’ve looked up the lyrics I’ve heard and nothing comes up.” 

He reached down for his backpack, unzipping it and pulling out a notebook. Hyunjin flipped through the pages until he found the one where he’d managed to write down a few lines that he’d heard one night.

It had been almost two months since he had connected. It was the last week before summer break and Hyunjin had taken to wearing his ring on a thin chain around his neck. He wasn’t sure when something had changed within him, perhaps it was the series of bad dates, or third wheeling Seungmin and Jeongin for the last six months, but Hyunjin just wanted something. He had found himself slipping his ring off more and more often, having to force himself to wait before checking again to see if anything had happened yet. Eventually he had stopped wearing it altogether. 

Dancing had been the only exception, the hum too distracting when he needed to pay such close attention to the music. That was until that day that they had been in the changing rooms after rehearsals, Hyunjin’s hair wet from showering, and a towel around his neck so that it wouldn’t drip on his clean clothes. He’d undone the necklace and slipped his ring back on the chain as he always did. The room was steamy and Hyunjin felt a little uncomfortable standing in there now that he was fully dressed, the tight denim of his jeans sticking to his skin as he looked back at himself in the mirror. He brought the chain around his neck and clipped it into place, feeling the cold metal of the ring against his chest as he tucked it under his shirt. 

It hadn’t felt anything like he had expected. There was no sudden whoosh of an impossible breeze like in the movies, the world didn’t shift, his heart didn’t leap. In fact, he didn't notice at first that all he could hear was the sound of the shower shutting off and Minho humming to himself as he appeared with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet where it dripped over his shoulders. 

“Shhhh” he said suddenly, Minho freezing where he was about to reach for his pile of clothes.

“What?”

“Are you playing the guitar?”

Minho glanced down at himself, wearing nothing more than a towel, his hands completely empty and raised an eyebrow. “How the fuck would I be playing the guiar right now?”

“Well, somebody is” Hyunjin retorted.

“I can’t hear anything.” Minho started to reach for his shirt from the peg beside Hyunjin and paused, looking back at the other boy, both of their eyes widening at the same time. 

“Hyunjin!” he exclaimed, stepping towards him.

“No…” Hyunjin protested, raising his hands as Miho continued his approach, his arms open.

“Oh yes. C’mon.” 

Minho pulled him into a tight hug, Hyunjin’s arms pressed tightly to his sides as the older boy rocked them excitedly. 

Hyunjin smiled to himself at the memory, as he offered the notebook to Felix. Most of the lyrics were a few words that he had picked up here and there. Some were longer, with one he thought he might have an entire verse correct and still nothing came up with his searches. Felix took the notebook from his hands gently, mouthing the words silently as he read them.

“I don’t recognise them, but they’re nice” he said, looking apologetic as he turned the page and paused, stabbing his finger at a spot on the page. “Wait…”

Felix got up, going over to his desk to retrieve his phone.

“What?” Hyunjin questioned, sighing when Felix held up a finger, scrolling as he sat back down. 

“It is!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up and Hyunjin thought he might explode if the other boy didn’t expand faster. 

“It’s Chan,” Felix said, looking very proud of himself.

“Chan? Like Australian Chan? Like he was here last night, Chan?”

“Well… It’s his song” Felix corrected, his excitement waning a little. “3racha.”

“What’s a 3racha?” Hyunjin asked, raising his eyebrows sceptically.

Felix sighed, rolling his eyes. “Chan, Jisung and Changbin. They make music, they’re pretty good. Chan posts it online” he explained. 

“And this is that?” Hyunjin asked, holding up his notebook. 

“Right,” Felix agreed. “Which is good news.”

“How is this good news?” Hyunjin asked, his panic rising as a thousand possibilities flashed through his mind. 

“It’s a very niche audience. This has to mean that your soulmate is at least in the country, probably studying here if they know their music.”

“Okay,” Hyunin agreed, nodding slowly. “Can we just ask the obvious question here and figure out if my soulmate is Chan?”

Felix paused for a moment, thinking and then shook his head. “It would make sense with all the other lyrics not coming up, you could be hearing stuff he hasn’t released yet, or other students' stuff. I know he’s been helping out with the younger classes this year, but no. He would definitely have told me if he’d connected. And even if he hadn’t yet, he doesn’t even wear a ring, you’d be hearing him all the time.” 

Hyunjin wasn’t sure if to feel relieved or not. It seemed like every time he got a little closer to figuring any of this out, he was still miles away. 

“So it’s just one of the thousands of students here?” he asked and Felix smiled back at him brightly.

“Which is better than it being anyone in the entire world. And we can cross off Chan, me, Seungmin and Jeongin…” Felix was counting each name off on his fingers, as though the absence of four whole names on a list of thousands was making some kind of difference. 

“What about the rest of this band?” Hunjin asked, closing the notebook and tossing it onto the ground. “Who was it… Changbin?”

Felix nodded, shifting on the bed and clearing his throat. “Changbin, yeah. And he’s…”

“Engaged?” Hyunjin offered and Felix nodded, looking away.

“Yeah, that. And Jisung.”

“And Jisung.” Hyunjin repeated, the feeling of panic really starting to return in full force. He was standing up suddenly, retrieving the notebook from the ground and shoving it back into his backpack.

“Where are you going?” Felix asked, his eyes wide as he watched Hyunjin rifle through the sheets looking for his phone. 

“I’m going to make sure my soulmate isn't fucking Han Jisung.”

-

The arts building seemed like his best bet, Hyunjin decided as he strode across campus. He refused to let himself process this idea until he knew whether or not it was correct. Had he ever seen Jisung with a guitar? He tried to remember. Although, if Felix’s theory was correct, this could be a new development. Either way, Hyunjin wasn’t about to sit around and wait to figure this out like some kind of sappy rom com, full of angst and miscommunication. He wanted answers. 

He took the stairs two at a time, pausing when he reached the music floor to read the signs beside each corridor, detailing the names and numbers of rooms down each one that meant absolutely nothing to Hyunjin. He’d never been in this part of the building, always sticking to the lower floors with the dance and drama studios. With a small sigh he took the corridor to his right, feeling hopeful when he peered in the window of the first door and saw a girl practising the violin. The next few rooms were empty and Hyunjin was about to just pull out his phone and call the boy when he heard a familiar sound. 

It was coming from further down the corridor, the slow gentle strum of guitar, playing the same simple pattern of chords he had heard a few days earlier. Looking down at his hand, Hyunjin smoothed a finger over his ring, his heart hammering in his chest. Before he could overthink it, Hyunjin held his breath as he slid the band up his finger, the sound blooming in his ears, louder now, like he was in the room and a small laugh bubbled out of Hjunjin’s lips. 

Hyunjin jumped as the door behind him opened and two boys appeared. 

“Sorry” the dark haired of the two apologised, as Hyunjin moved quickly out of the way, smiling. 

The smaller blonde boy nodded at him as they passed and Hyunjin decided to wait for them to be gone before investigating further. His interest was caught, however, as they paused outside the room he had been watching, the blonde boy leaning against the wall as he chatted to his friend. The other boy’s eyes flicked to Hyunjin who became aware of the fact that he was still hovering awkwardly in the hallway for seemingly no reason. 

Figuring that he may as well go for it, Hyunjin moved towards the door. He only got a few steps closer however, before the sound stopped, both of the other boy’s heads turning towards the doorway as the music was replaced by the scraping of chairs and shuffling. Hyunjin was on the other side of the doorway now, the smaller blonde boy looking at him expectantly.

The door opened and Hyunjin was grateful for the distraction as a boy emerged, smiling warmly at the sight of the other two waiting for him. 

“Hey” he greeted them, “how was… oh hey.” 

The boy paused, looking a little surprised as he noticed Hyunjin standing there too. 

“Hyunjin, right? From dance?” he asked with an impossibly handsome smile, resting his weight to the side as he hiked his bag further up his shoulder. 

Hyunjin nodded, feeling the two boys behind them watching the interaction with confusion. 

“Kevin” the dark haired boy offered, glancing at the boy beside him who smiled.

“Chanhee.”

“Hi” Hyunjin replied, shuffling awkwardly. 

“Are you next?” the other boy asked and Hyunjin stared back in confusion. 

“Guitar lessons” he clarified, “I didn’t know you were learning.”

“Oh… no. No, I was actually looking for you.”

“For me?”

Hyunjin looked down at his hands, unfolding his fingers, his ring resting in his palm.

“Yeah, for you.”

Hyunin heard the blonde boy, Chanhee, gasp quietly from beside him, and felt his face flush as three pairs of eyes stared at his palm. 

“Excuse me” a voice interrupted them, and the atmosphere broke as their little group quickly shuffled out of the way as a dark hair man skirted around them, a guitar case on his back. “Good job today” he added, patting the boy on the shoulder as he passed. 

“Thanks.” The boy nodded, looking more than a little distracted. Hyunjin hadn’t taken his eyes off him and he watched the boy’s gaze flick back to his hand where it was now closed by his side.

“Maybe we should give you two a moment” Kevin suggested and Hyunjin smiled gratefully as Kevin started backing away, tugging a reluctant Chanhee along with him.

“Seriously…” the blonde boy protested, Kevin shushing him. 

“See you later, Juyeon” he called, “text us!”

The boy finally looked up, meeting Hyunjin’s eyes. He’d seen him around plenty of times, and they had even been partnered in dance class once before, but Hyunjin had never seen the boy like this before. He was usually the picture of quiet confidence, relaxed and charming. 

“Are we…?” Juyeon asked, his voice nervous.

“I think so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Hyunjin's chapter, I have ended up fleshing out his story a lot more than I expected and I'm excited. Also Jeongin is finally here! 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always very much appreciated <3
> 
> And you can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	6. Chapter 6

It was cold and it was windy and Minho didn’t appreciate being awake before ten on a day he didn’t have class, but he was a good friend and so here he was, on his way to help Hyunjin move into his new flat. He’d already had a rude awakening when Changbin decided to throw a balled up pair of socks at his head by way of an alarm. To be fair, he had slept through his own alarm and it might’ve been echoing through the flat for nearly ten minutes before the other boy resulted to alternative methods. Minho had at least mumbled an apology as Changbin shuffled back to his own room, his duvet pulled around himself like a puffy oversized cape. 

He hadn’t slept well again the night before, which was unlike him, but he still felt weird. He could only describe it as uneasy, like he could sense the person beside him was nervous or scared, only there was no one else there. He’d glanced over at Changbin repeatedly during dinner, so much so that the older boy gave him a weird look, but he seemed fine. Perfectly relaxed. Minho was relieved to find that the feeling had gone when he woke that morning, and despite feeling sleepy, he was oddly peppy. 

“Juyeon... as in tall, dark hair and super hot?” Minho clarified for the third time and Hyunjin sighed. 

“Yes. As in the guy from dance. As in Lee Juyeon. As in super hot” he confirmed as they walked.

“Nice.”

Hyunjin laughed, glancing at Minho who was smiling widely. 

“So what, did you confess your undying love to one another?”

“You know that isn’t how this works, right? God help your soulmate.”

Minho shrugged, hunching forward to protect himself from the wind. “My soulmate will be too busy revelling in his sheer luck, and then when he realises, it’ll be too late.”

“Anyway…” Hyunjin continued, tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear, “we went for dinner and we’re seeing each other again tomorrow.”

“Psh. Lucky. You guys are going to have some really attractive kids” Minho replied with a small sigh.

“Again, I’m not sure you understand how this works.” 

Tugging his jacket around himself at a particularly strong gust of wind, Minho almost stumbled as Hyunjin grabbed his arm, tugging him away from where he was about to stop to cross the street. 

“What are you doing?” he asked, “We’re meeting Seungmin on campus before we collect the keys.”

“I thought we could take him a coffee as a thank you for helping me move all my stuff,” Hyunjin explained, keeping hold of Minho’s sleeve as he continued up the road. 

“And we’re not getting that on campus, because…” Minho almost tripped again as Hyunjin stopped abruptly, grinning. 

“Because I figured I could treat you too!” he declared, and Minho looked up at the sign above them. 

“Oh no…” he protested, trying to pull Hyunjin along. 

They were outside the cafe, the one with the cute boy that made Minho’s stomach do flippy things that he didn’t appreciate and despite the large front window, there was no way to get a good look at who was behind the counter and that meant there was no way Minho was going inside. After putting two and two together on the stairs a few days earlier, Minho now had the boy’s actual name, but he hadn’t yet brought himself to explain that turn of events to Hyunjin. 

Hyunjin laughed, pulling open the door and pushing him inside. “Don’t be ridiculous. Since when were you shy?” 

Minho kept his eyes down, internally praying that the cafe was busy enough that their entrance wasn’t too noticeable. 

“Just because your love life is suddenly going well, does not entitle you to play cupid” Minho whispered. 

He walked quickly, heading towards a small table in the corner and collapsed into one of the chairs. 

“You’re welcome.”

“Shh” he begged Hyunjin, eyes wide as the boy took the seat opposite, looking very amused. 

“Is that him?” Hyunjin asked, leaning back a little to peak at the counter. 

Minho chanced a look and finally relaxed a little when he didn’t recognise the boy currently serving a group of girls. He was very handsome, but he was not Jisung. 

“He’s cute,” Hyunjin commented. 

Minho rolled his eyes and brought a hand up to his hair, trying to brush it back into place where it had been ruffled in the wind outside. “It’s not him.”

“Yeah, he’s not your type” agreed Hyunjin, still staring. 

Minho nudged his foot under the table, trying to get Hyunjin’s attention. “Can you stop that?” he begged. 

“What?” Hyunjin questioned, looking back at Minho confused. “He could be in the back or something.”

“Can’t we just get the drinks and go?” Minho asked, growing more jittery the longer they waited.

Hyunjin didn’t like Jisung, Minho knew that much. They had some weird feud over something that Minho didn’t really understand but knew better than to ask about, and that was fine, he could be a good friend and dislike the boy on principle. Except he’d been so pleasantly surprised to see him standing in that doorway, eyes wide and cheeks flushed like he had appeared from thin air and quite literally fallen into Minho’s arms. Or his chest at least. And then when Felix had introduced him, the name had seemed so familiar, and it had only taken two minutes of Hyunjin’s very dramatic retelling of meeting his new roommate for it to all click horrifyingly into place. 

“Fine” Hyunjin said, standing with a sigh. “I try to be a good friend and this is the thanks I get.”

Minho laughed, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, I’m just… having a bad hair day and I’m wearing clothes to help you move...”

“Oh, shut up” Hyunjin responded, as they made their way to the counter, but at least he was smiling now. “You’d be hot in a bin bag.”

Minho nodded in agreement. 

“What can I get you?” the boy behind the till asked. Minho noticed that his nametag read Younghoon and mentally kicked himself for not just pretending that this had been the guy the entire time. 

Hyunjin reeled off a list of drinks, smiling at the boy as he nodded and rang it through. The boy, Younghoon, was glancing up at Hyunjin, looking a little flushed at the other boy’s intense gaze and Minho silently wished him luck. Moving along the counter, Minho stopped to wait by where their drinks would be ready, reaching into his back pocket for his phone. He figured that one of them should probably let the others know they would be a few minutes later than planned. 

“Need a hand?” 

Minho’s head snapped up at the voice, an all too familiar boy moving past Younghoon behind the counter, planting his hands on the taller boy’s shoulders as he passed. Jisung’s hair was a little messy in the front where it looked like he had tried to push it from his forehead and his apron definitely had something spilled down the front, but for a moment Minho forgot how to breathe. 

This was not normal. Sure, Minho found guys attractive all the time. There were boys in high school he had flirted with, or now in student bars that he could seduce in dark corners, but he didn’t get crushes. He didn’t do clammy hands and butterflies and acting like a complete fool. He wasn’t some helpless teenager infatuated and blushing over a pretty boy. And yet, he couldn’t get Jisung out of his head, not his round eyes blinking up at him, or the smile that pushed into his soft cheeks, or the feel of his hands against his chest, and even more worryingly he didn’t really care. 

The two boys behind the counter were chatting, passing things back and forth as they made the order and Minho was faintly aware that Hyunjin had turned away talking to someone on his phone as he watched them. Maybe it was about time he felt this way, he reasoned. Maybe it was just the shock after being home for the summer and he just needed to get it out of his system. 

Jisung laughed brightly at something the other boy had said to him, taking a cup from his hands and turning around. 

“For you?” Jisung asked, placing two cups on the counter in front of him and Minho nodded dumbly, Jisung’s face lighting up when he recognised the boy in front of him. 

“Um, yeah… yes. Thanks.”

“Minho, right?” Jisung asked with a smile, turning to grab another two drinks that Younghoon had slid across to him. 

“Right” Minho confirmed, nodding again. 

“Sorry again for the other day” Jisung apologised, reaching for a cup holder. 

“Oh no, don’t worry about it. It was all me, I was just excited for the pizza.”

Jisung laughed, and Minho felt his entire body ease. He could do this. He knew how to flirt. He stood up a little straighter and pushed his phone back into his pocket. 

“It was nice to meet you” Minho added, glancing over at Hyunjin, “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Jisung winced, but he was still smiling, slotting drinks into the cardboard holder. “Ah. Of course.”

“I’m not sure I should be talking to the enemy,” Minho said with a small smirk and Jisung leaned across the counter, pushing the drinks forward. 

“Haven’t you heard? We’re roomies now. Best of friends.”

“I heard about the first part” Minho allowed and Jisung nodded solemnly. “You must know Changbin, right? Working here…”

“We’re friends, yeah. I’m surprised it took us so long to meet actually, with you being friends with Hyunjin and Seungmin.”

Minho smiled, his eyes flicking down for a moment. “It’s a crime really” he mused. 

Jisung huffed out a little laugh, raising his eyebrows as he looked up at him. “Is that so?” he asked. There was a sureness to his words. A confidence that completely contrasted the boy on the stairs and little part of Minho wanted to test that. 

“I’m helping with the move, so maybe I’ll see you later?” Minho asked, trying to sound inquisitive rather than hopeful. 

“Hey” Hyunjin cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder and Minho inwardly cringed at how long he might’ve been standing there. 

“How’s the move going?” Jisung asked, breaking their eye contact to look over at Hyunjin. “I won’t be there until late. I finish at seven and then I need to go and pick up my stuff.” 

Hyunjin nodded, leaning over to pick up their drinks. “We’re just going to pick up the keys, but I’ll save you some space in the cupboards and stuff.”

“Thanks” Jisung replied pleasantly, and even though Seungmin had insisted the two boys had been getting on well enough the other night, there was definitely still an awkwardness in the air. 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you there then” Hyunjin said after a little too long of a pause. 

“Yep” Jisung replied, running a hand through his hair and Minho watched as the strands tumbled back across his forehead. “It was nice to see you again, Minho”. 

Minho couldn’t help but notice the way Jisung’s voice softened when he spoke to him in comparison to Hyunjin and he held back the urge to smile too smugly. 

“You too,” he said, turning with Hyunjin to leave. 

“Oh!” Jisung exclaimed, ducking down and Minho paused, watching as the boy’s smiling face popped back up, holding his hand out. 

“Straws” Jisung explained, pressing a bundle into Minho’s palm, their fingers brushing as Minho took them from him. 

“Thanks” he said, giving him a nod and Jisung was being ushered towards the till before Minho could linger any longer. He sent Minho an apologetic look, glaring at Younghoon for effect and Minho giggled raising a hand in goodbye as he headed for the door. 

Hyunjin was watching them, holding the door open with his shoulder as he waited for Minho. He could feel the other boy smirking to himself as they walked, and Hyunjin lasted perhaps a minute before he burst out laughing. 

“I can’t believe you’ve got a crush on Han Jisung.” 

Minho scowled, shoving the handful of straws into his coat pocket and walking faster. 

-

Jisung looked around his room, it was oddly normal despite the few boxes packed in one corner. He’d expected it to feel empty, but after picking out the things he actually needed from a lifetime of crap, the room didn’t look all that different. All of the furniture was staying and the only real change was that it was considerably tidier than usual, the clothes usually sprawled across his floor now neatly folded by Chan into a suitcase he had lent him for the move. 

“Got everything?” Chan asked, resting a hand on his shoulder and Jisung nodded. 

His Dad was going to keep the apartment until Christmas when he could come to clear it out and the thought that he could come back for a little while was reassuring to Jisung. It was the safety net he needed. 

“Yeah, just these last boxes” he replied, turning to smile at Chan who moved to stack two on top of one another and lift them. 

“Alright. Changbin can grab the last one and you can get your suitcase and lock up?”

“Sounds good,” Jisung agreed, leaving the room before he could get too sentimental. It was certainly helped by the image of Changbin standing in the living room with a frying pan in his hand like it was the best thing he had ever seen. 

“Can I have this?” he asked and Jisung laughed. 

“Go for it” he said, “apparently Hyunjin has a whole set and I don’t cook anyway.”

“Minho destroyed ours the week we moved in.” Changbin explained opening a box and laying the pan on top. “I don’t know what he put in it, but it won’t come off. I’ve been making eggs in a saucepan all semester.” 

Jisung watched him with amusement as Chan appeared in the doorway. 

“Ready? Changbin, there’s one more box in there if you can manage two?” Chan asked and Jisung smirked at the expression on Changbin’s face. 

“I’ve been moving the heavy stuff all night. Don’t think I didn’t notice you taking all the cushions and blankets” he complained, disappearing to collect the final box. 

They’d managed it in two trips in the end, and with Jisung actually taking the time to pack the day before, it had only taken a couple of hours to move his entire life five minutes down the road. 

Hyunjin was lying on the sofa when he finally emerged from his new room, everything unpacked and the place no doubt looking the cleanest it ever would with him living there. Changbin had even given him one of his ‘old’ duvet sets that matched the room better, and if Jisung had noticed the packaging in the kitchen bin, he didn’t mention it, letting Chan wrestle the new bedding into place with a fond smile. 

“I think we’re done,” Chan announced, Hyunjin smiling up at them. 

“Well, I’d say you should stay for dinner, but it's ten pm and we have no food,” he replied, shrugging. 

“Don’t worry about it, I need to get back anyway” Changbin explained, grabbing his jacket from where he’d draped it over the arm of the sofa. 

“You do?” asked Jisung, looking confused. He knew that Changbin didn’t have class the next day which is why he’d let him stay so late helping. 

Changbin shrugged, pulling his jacket on. “I’m taking the train up to see Myunghee.”

“You didn’t mention that” Chan cut in, grabbing his own coat, “are you just going for the day? It’s a long trip.”

“Yeah… I won’t have a chance until next month otherwise and we agreed we wouldn’t go that long.”

Jisung noticed that he looked a little embarrassed, eyes flicking to Hyunjin as he spoke. Hyunjin however was staring pointedly away from them, suddenly very engrossed in the cushion on his lap. 

“Anyway” Changbin continued, “we should leave you two to get settled.” 

Chan nodded, looking from Changbin to Jisung who was already shaking his head. 

“You don’t need to say something sappy. I’m a big boy, I’ll be fine” he warned, ushering the two of them into the hallway. 

“Are you sure?” Chan asked, his eyes full of concern as he tried to read the other boy. “You can still stay at mine whenever you need or call.”

“Chan…”

“I know. I know.” he sighed, pulling Jisung into a bone crushing hug, Jisung’s face smushed into his shoulder. 

He’d barely been released before Changbin’s arms were around him instead, a hand on the back of his head. 

“Binnie..” Jisung said, a smile in his voice. 

“Shut up” Chanbin shot back, letting go of him and clearing his throat. 

“Bye Hyunjin!” he called as Chan opened the door and Hyunjin shouted back his own goodbye. 

“Be nice” Chan added as Jisung shoved him out the door, smiling sweetly. 

“If I kill him, I’ll do a good job of hiding the body” Jisung vowed, ignoring Chan’s protests as he shut the door behind them with a sigh. 

Jisung rested his forehead against the door for a moment, taking a deep breath before he returned to the living room. 

“Finally,” he declared, dropping onto the sofa beside Hyunjin with a loud sigh, “I thought they were going to try and stay the night.”

Hyunjin laughed softly, pulling his legs up to make more room. “I don’t think your bed’s big enough. It was nice of them to stay and help though.”

“Mhm. They’re good friends. I think Chan’s left enough packets of ramen for the rest of the semester.”

“Good to know. Minho just sat on the bed and told me where to put stuff, and Jeongin has eaten half of my cereal. At least Felix got us a house plant.”

“He did?” Jisung asked, smiling. “No wonder he and Chan get on so well.”

“They’re too nice to be friends with us.”

Humming in agreement, Jisung rubbed his eyes, the emotional and physical exhaustion of the day settling in. He’d noticed that the living room was already looking a little homelier, a few cushions that he assumed belonged to Hyunjin scattered on the sofa and a stack of video games and dvds on the floor ready to be put on the tv stand. 

“What the deal with Myunghee?” Hyunjin asked and Jisung turned his head to look at him. 

“What do you mean?”

“With Changbin. Isn’t she his…”

“Oh.” Jisung, turned his head back, resting it back against the sofa. “Fiancé, yeah” he clarified. 

“Right. Minho mentioned. That’s… intense” said Hyunjin, resting his chin on his knees. 

“I know, right.”

“Are they connected?” Hyunjin asked. 

Jisung lifted his head again, looking at Hyunjin to read his expression. The other boy only looked curious and Jisung shook his head. 

“They’re not, but they’ve been together for years, as long as I’ve known him. I guess it works for them. She graduated last year and moved to start her new job. Changbin’s going there after graduation to run one of the newer cafe branches.”

“Wow,” Hyunjin said. “It sounds like they’ve got it all planned out.”

Jisung hummed in agreement. “Must be nice.”

“I don’t know. We’re still so young. It’s kinda nice to have the freedom.” 

“Or terrifying” Jisung countered, taking a deep breath and sitting up. “I’m going to bed anyway.”

Hyunjin smiled, reaching for the remote from the coffee table. “Okay. I’ll keep the sound low, it still feels too weird here for me to sleep yet” he explained. 

If it were someone else, one of his friends, Jisung might’ve told Hyunjin that it felt incredibly weird to him too, or suggested that they watch a movie together until they fell asleep, but it wasn’t and Jisung was all the more reminded of the fact that he was in a new place with a boy he barely knew and didn’t particularly like. 

He blinked a few times and stood up, hovering awkwardly for a moment. “Alright. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“I’ll be here” Hyunjin confirmed, as though Jisung was questioning the fact. Like he was afraid the other boy would up and run in the middle of the night. 

He licked his lips, his voice more sure. “Goodnight.”

“Night” Hyunjin echoed back, already distracted by scrolling through the TV channels as Jisung headed down the short corridor to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did they actually have something of a conversation? Oh wow it really took us 6 chapters to get this far.   
> I'm currently working on chapter 10 which is both the longest and the most difficult thing I have written so far, but it also means updates should keep coming at least weekly. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	7. Chapter 7

Jisung was sitting in his new bed, his notebook on his knees as he tapped a pencil against his lips. He’d slept better than expected, but that also meant that he’d fallen asleep instead of finishing the lyrics he was supposed to be showing Chan that afternoon. He had an assignment due next week and if they were going to be able to complete the song in time for him to submit it, he needed to at least have a good portion of his verse done before he saw the other boy. The flat was much warmer than he was used to, most likely because Hyunjin could actually afford to turn the heating on and Jisung pushed his duvet off his legs, flipping onto his stomach and resting the notebook on his pillow. 

Bringing his hands together, he ran a finger over the cool metal of his ring. He could go and shower first he considered, but he had heard Hyunjin moving around a little while earlier and he wasn’t sure he was ready for them to have some kind of awkward domestic morning chat. He idly wondered if Hyunjin would still look as disturbingly good first thing in the morning, and his curiosity was almost enough to get him out of bed. 

Jisung sighed instead, letting his head fall against the page. He hadn’t been able to think properly, or write anything all week, his mind coming back to the mysterious person his mind, or soul, or heart or whatever it was was connected to. They existed in his mind like a blurry figure, always hovering just out of view, breathing down his neck. Closing his eyes, he tried to picture it. Perhaps if he acknowledged what was happening, got it out of his system, he would be able to focus. An image formed in his mind of a boy, taller than him with floppy brown hair. He was sat on a bed, no, up to a desk with papers in front of him and a blue desk lamp. His shoulders were broad as he hunched over, headphones over his ears. Jisung smiled to himself as he let his imagination run. He imagined walking up behind the faceless boy, sliding his hands up his back, over his white t-shirt and around his neck, pressing his face into his hair with a smile. 

Opening his eyes, Jisung flipped to a blank page, his hand moving before he could think. Name, he wrote, putting a question mark after the word. Age? Where do you live? He stared down at the words for a moment, scrawled in dark letters on the page and groaned, closing the notebook and shoving it under his pillow. 

Rolling off his bed, he collected a towel and a change of clothes before tentatively opening his door and padding down the hallway. He could hear Hyunjin in the kitchen, the tap was on and he could hear sizzling, a pleasant smell wafting towards him. Jisung smiled at the sound of the other boy humming along to some pop song and slipped into the bathroom, very glad that he had actually taken the time to unpack the night before and he didn’t have to hunt through a series of boxes just to find his toothbrush. 

Moving in front of the sink, Jisung pushed his hair back, watching as his reflection blinked back at him with tired eyes. He glanced down at his ring, thinking about the conversations he had had with Chan and Seungmin over the last few days and then at the door. He could still hear the muffled sound of Hyunjin’s music and he took a deep breath as he slid the ring up his finger. 

The band had barely passed his knuckle before the sound bloomed in his head, like Hyunjin had suddenly pressed the speaker right up against the wall and he shoved the ring back on his finger, gripping the edge of the sink as the ground shifted beneath him. Jisung stared at his knuckles where they were turning white. Suddenly he had pushed off the porcelain and was pulling the door open, careening down the hallway. 

Hyunjin almost jumped out of skin as the smaller boy slammed his palm down on the counter. 

“What the fuck?” he demanded.

“What the fuck, what?” Hyunjin asked, holding a hand against his chest as he tried to collect himself after the shock. 

“Why can I hear you?” Jisung asked, his voice getting higher and higher. “Why the hell can I hear you? Why, why, why…”

Hyunjin clapped a hand over the boy’s mouth and Jisung’s eyes widened as he fought the urge to bite the boy’s palm. Hyunjin slowly removed his hand, wiping it on his trousers as he looked down at Jisung. 

“Can you breathe for like a second and try to make sense?” he suggested and Jisung practically growled in response, actually curling his fists at his sides. 

Jisung couldn’t understand why the other boy was currently so calm and quite frankly, it wasn’t doing good things for his current stress levels. 

“I can hear your dumb ass music from the bathroom” he explained, gesturing a hand towards the boy’s phone.

“And you want me to turn it down?” Hyunjin offered, raising an eyebrow. 

“I can hear it when I do this,” Jisung clarified, slipping off his ring and holding it in the air. Sure enough the sound increased again. It wasn’t as noticeable this time with him standing so close to the actual source, but if he paid close attention it was like the song was playing over itself, at a faint echoey distance and Jisung had to close his eyes for a moment, trying to steady himself. 

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh” Jisung replied, looking up at Hyunjin in disbelief. The blonde boy was smirking and a larger portion of Jisung than he would care to admit considered genuinely punching him in the face. 

“You think I’m your soulmate?”

“Well, the evidence would suggest” Jisung responded sarcastically. 

Hyunjin laughed, his eyes crinkling as he shook his head. “I’ve been there, buddy” he said, patting Jisung’s shoulder. 

Jisung stared back at him as though the other boy had two heads, the hand holding his ring still hovering in midair. 

“It’s the radio,” Hyunjin said, reaching past Jisung to grab his phone off the counter, turning the screen so that Jisung could see the app he had pulled up. 

“It’s… the radio?” Jisung repeated, his hand falling to his side. 

“Something that literally thousands of people could be listening to and hearing the same thing right now? Yeah.”

Jisung stepped back, leaning into the counter, still looking stunned. They were both quiet for a moment, Hyunjin shuffling awkwardly. Jisung was mildly aware that the other boy’s food was probably burning and that he was still staring at the same spot on the ground and looking as though he had actually had a small existential crisis. Hell, he felt like he was having a large existential crisis.

“Are you shitting me?” he said eventually, looking up and Hyunjin laughed, shrugging. 

“And you’re sure?”

“Considering the fact that I have a date with my actual soulmate tonight, yeah I’d say so.” Hyunjin said, turning off the music and sliding his phone back onto the counter. 

Jisung felt his body relax as the sound continued in his head, despite the music being gone from the room. Now that he could better focus on the sensation, it made him feel a little dizzy. It was disconcerting, somewhere between having a song stuck in your head and someone playing music from far away, or through water or earmuffs. Jisung couldn’t help but be intrigued, part of him wanting to go back to his room and soak in the feeling as goosebumps rose over the back of his neck. 

He could feel Hyunjin watching him and Jisung realised he had been staring at a spot on the wall for longer than was probably comfortable. Opening his hand, he looked down at the ring lying in his palm, feeling a little shaky as the adrenaline seeped from his body and the full range of emotions he had just experienced hit him. 

“Sorry” Hyunjin whispered, breaking Jisung’s from his weird trance. 

“Sorry? What do you mean sorry?” Jisung demanded, his head snapping up. “Do you think I'm disappointed, because let me tell you, Hwang Hyunjin I am relieved.”

“Of course you are” Hyunjin replied, nudging him out of the way so that he could get back to his food. “Now, do you want some burnt eggs?” 

-

Jisung had had a surprisingly productive afternoon. His conversation with Hyunjin had helped calm him a little, and he’d managed to finish his entire verse and send it over to Chan as well as making a start on some reading for one of his other classes. 

Emerging from his room, Jisung pulled the sleeves of his sweatshirt over his hands and headed to the kitchen. Chan had made sure their cupboards were well stocked, but nothing seemed particularly appealing. He grabbed a bowl and poured himself some cereal, frowning when he grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge and felt how empty it was. 

“Hyunjin!” he called, tipping the last few drops pitifully over his cereal, his frustration growing. 

“Hyunjin!” he called again, going to the boy’s door and pushing it open. 

“Did you drink all the…”

Jisung paused, raising an eyebrow at the sight in front of him. Hyunjin had his hair pulled back, a couple of pieces of hair delicately curled around his face. He was wearing a pair of very tight black jeans and an oversized shirt with the front tucked in. The collar was so wide that with the few buttons he’d left undone, the top of one of his shoulders and his collar bones were visible. 

“Do I look alright?” he asked, fastening a necklace around his neck. 

Jisung hummed, leaning against the doorway. 

“That outfit might actually distract from your personality.”

Hyunjin sneered, pulling his phone off its charger and slipped it into his pocket. 

“I’m going to take that as a compliment. Now, I’ll be back late so don’t wait up.”

Jisung watched as the other boy pulled on his coat and looked himself over once more. He couldn’t fathom how calm he seemed, but then again if he looked like Hyunjin he might be much more confident himself. 

Jisung hadn’t been on a date in... well, he hadn’t ever been on a real date. The issue with soulmates was that unless you had connected, any romantic involvement ended up pretty casual. It was all filler until the one showed up. 

“Where are you going then? Dinner? A movie?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No. We’re meeting on campus, then we’re just going to see where the night takes us.”

“And that doesn’t terrify you?” Jisung asked, passing the other boy his keys off the counter when he gestured for them. 

Hyunjin laughed. “Why would it?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Just… have fun. Enjoy.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Hyunjin paused on his way out of the door and smiled. “Doesn’t leave me with much, huh?”

He laughed as he closed the door and Jisung’s stomach twisted. 

He sat at the kitchen table, tapping his spoon against the edge of his bowl. He knew Hyunjin hadn’t meant it maliciously, but his words still stung. Here he was, as the rest of campus had the time of their lives, sat in a silent apartment wearing pyjamas and eating dry cereal. 

He wasn’t exactly sure what would help. The thought of getting dressed and being around people was unthinkably exhausting, and yet sitting here alone was making him equally miserable. He’d been having a pretty good day, and had been content with his simple plans to curl up in bed and watch a movie he’d seen several times before. Of course Hyunjin would manage to ruin that. 

Jisung sighed and pushed his bowl away, mostly for effect seeing as he’d finished his food anyway. He had had a good time the other night at Seungmin’s, but his new living arrangements had left Jisung feeling like he’d had to be on all day. And besides, it was hardly like people were blowing up his phone begging to hang out with him. 

It was a never ending cycle. Jisung pushing people away, turning down invitations and then internally wallowing in how lonely he felt. He didn’t have such an issue when Chan was just downstairs, when he could pop by casually and not have to worry about how he acted or what he said. He could just be. But now, it was different. He’d be actively visiting, going out of his way to hang out and somehow that changed things. 

Nibbling on his lip, Jisung reached for his phone and clicked the screen on, despite already knowing that he would have no notifications. His knee started to bounce under the table and he placed his phone back down, pushing his hair back. After staring at the ceiling for a moment, he turned his attention to his hand. He felt over the raised skin of the blister on his finger, his touch stopping at his ring before sliding it up and off his finger. He placed the band on the table in front of him, staring at it like it might suddenly start to glow, or perhaps up and roll its way to the boy he was connected to. 

It was silent and Jisung couldn't help the hint of disappointment he felt. If he could muster himself to try this, the least the other guy could do was make himself known. 

There was a sudden buzz and it took Jisung a moment to realise it had come from his phone and was not some soulmate related sorcery. 

“Pull it together” he whispered to himself, turning over his phone and finding a message from Seungmin. 

Lunch after class tomorrow? 

Despite what he had been moping about not five minutes earlier, Jisung’s thumbs hesitated. 

I’ll pay if you read my essay. 

Jisung bit back a smile, sliding his ring back on his finger. Of course Seungmin would act like he was the one doing the favour here. He also knew that he could quite easily say no to Seungmin, no excuse needed and the other boy would just shrug and smile. But most importantly, he would always ask Jisung again the next time. 

Sounds good. Will the boyf be there? he replied, almost laughing out loud at the unamused emoji he received in response. 

Probably. The other boy added and Jisung had a smile on his face as he tucked his phone into his pocket and headed to his bedroom. 

He couldn't help but notice how weird his life had been over the last week or so, and how much of a change there had been. He also couldn’t help but notice that although his brain was still running a mile a minute regarding everything that had happened, he also felt oddly relaxed, and that was what panicked him. 

His gaze fell on his trainers that he had abandoned when he had got back earlier, and suddenly he was out the door. He absentmindedly squeezed his pocket, feeling a little relieved at the weight of his phone there as the cold wind hit his face. 

It was only just starting to get dark, the streets dipped in an orange glow as people made their way home from work. It was too busy to run, but he didn't really feel like it anyway. His legs were moving and he let his brain switch off as they carried him along aimlessly. 

Some part of him remembered he actually had his phone with him and he dug it out of his pocket, plugging in his headphones and pushing them into his ears as he continued to walk. The sky was hazy and Jisung wondered where it began. When did the air around him officially become sky? Was he walking through the sky right now? Breathing it into his lungs. 

He took a deep breath, feeling the cold in his lungs and smiling at the feeling of the wind stinging his cheeks. A tear rolled down his cheeks from the cold and Jisung wiped it away, wondering how long he had been walking. The tips of his fingers were freezing against his skin. 

Blinking, he looked up to see the light of the familiar sign ahead, his feet finally coming to a stop at the large window of the cafe. The lighting inside was warm and inviting as he looked in, his attention caught by the boy seat at the table by the window. 

Soft brown hair hung forward, the line of his jaw captivating. The boy was writing something, hunched over the small table, his cream sweatshirt taunt over the muscle of his back and Jisung’s breath caught. He blinked against the image of the boy he had imagined that morning, almost stumbling as he found himself leaning forward without actually moving his feet, like he could slip through the glass to get a better look at the boy. And then he was looking up, his face breaking into a curious smile as their eyes met. 

Jisung pulled his headphones out, stuffing them into his pocket and a little bit of the haziness broke. The boy’s eyes flicked to the empty seat opposite him, and then back to Jisung’s in invitation, except it wasn’t the boy from his head, it was Minho. Hyunjin’s friend Minho. The boy from the stairs, and oh, the resemblance was uncanny. The handsome boy in front of him had already wormed his way into some kind of ludicrous fantasy and Jisung blushed like the other boy could read his mind. This was a low point. But he was pushing the door open and walking over, and Jisung figured he should probably get some control over his limbs because apparently they were running free this evening. 

“Fancy seeing you here” Minho greeted as Jisung pulled back the chair and took a seat. 

“I do work here” he replied as he felt the world sharpening around himself again. He tucked his cold hands under his thighs and tried not to shiver at the contrast in temperature. 

“Right now? I don’t see the apron.”

“You do know I don’t wear the apron all the time right? You just saw me come in.”

“You should. Are you on a break?”

Jisung shook his head. “I’m not working tonight. I’m just… passing through.” 

Minho tilted his head, eyes running over the other boy and Jisung licked his lip nervously. 

“Aren’t you cold?” 

Jisung appreciated the bluntness as he glanced down, the realisation that he was wearing shorts and tshirt at least three sizes too big in public really hitting him. Not to mention the fact that his hair was probably absurd from the wind, and for several reasons he regretted not grabbing a hat on his way out. 

“A bit,” he admitted. 

“What were you doing?” Minho asked.

“Going for a walk?” Jisung responded, hating the way it’d come out as a question, like he was covering up something suspicious. 

“Cool.”

“How about you? I don’t usually see you here.”

With a sigh, Minho leant back in his chair. “I had an audition out of town. The bus stop was just down the road and I… I don't know… I guess I wasn’t ready to go home yet.”

“Bad?” Jisung questioned and Minho laughed wiping a hand over his face.

“I don't even know” he admitted, “I…”

Minho paused, seeming to search Jisung's face until the other boy nodded for him to continue and he leaned forward instead, resting his arms on the table. “I got up early, picked up breakfast and even paid for a taxi there, even made small talk with the driver about the radio as though acting like I’m some put together adult for one morning would magically get my whole life to fall into place, but really…”

Minho paused again, meeting Jisung’s eyes as he spoke. “Really, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing” he said plainly, “I don’t know how to audition, or do job interviews. I don't even know if I want the jobs I’m auditioning for. It’s like well done, you fucked about in college for three years making up dances, now go decide your entire future… I… I’m sorry, I’m babbling.”

“No” Jisung reassured him, smiling. “I get it. And I’ve still got a whole year left. Honestly, sometimes I think I’ll just end up working here for the rest of my life.”

Minho hummed, looking around. “That doesn’t seem so bad. If I don’t make it, then… wow, I guess I’ll end up having to teach three year olds ballet or something. Hey, do you think I could get a job here? It seems pretty nice.”

Jisung scoffed. “Here? The interview process is ruthless, and the manager? He’s awful. He’s always complaining, and he barely ever lets you eat free cake, plus he kind of smells. It’s really not as fun as you’d think.”

“Isn’t Changbin your manager?”

Jisung waved his hand, and Minho laughed, his eyes crinkling as he shook his head. Something seemed to fall away from him, his shoulders relaxing and his features smoothing out as the laughter faded into a soft smile. 

He picked up his cup, and moved to stand up. “Do you want something?” Minho offered. 

“No, let me” Jisung cut him off, standing up and waving Minho away. “I get an employee discount.”

Minho laughed softly, nodding and sitting back down, letting Jisung take his mug. He didn’t miss the way the other boy’s hand twitched from the feeling of his cold fingers.

Jisung was grateful that neither Chan or Changbin were working as he made his way to the counter, coming up short when Younghoon looked at him expectantly. 

“Do you know what you want?” he asked eventually, cocking his head. 

“Umm…” Jisung’s gaze flicked back to their table, surprised to see Minho quite blatantly staring back, his chin propped on his hand. 

Hoping that he wasn’t blushing, Jisung turned quickly back to the counter and he must not have been masking his emotions well if the way that Younghoon bit back a laugh was anything to go by. 

“The same again?” Younghoon offered, Jisung nodding gratefully. He made simple small talk with the other boy, returning quickly with both their drinks, and he was glad to find that Minho was no longer watching him as he made the walk back to their table. 

“What are you working on?” he asked, tapping the edge of the notepad on the table.

Minho looked up, placing his pen down. “Choreography.”

“For class?”

“No” Minho replied, cupping his hands around his mug. “Dance team. The formations are really giving me a headache. It’s a lot easier when it’s just myself I have to worry about, or a duet.”

“I’d offer to help, but the best I could offer is drawing some random dots and suggesting everyone stand there.”

“Could work,” Minho said. “It’s abstract. Organised chaos.”

He flipped the page of his notebook and grabbed his pen, offering to the other boy. 

“You’re not serious.”

“Deadly.”

Jisung smiled, taking the pen and closing his eyes. He felt the boys hand against his wrist as he guided it over the page. 

“How many?” he asked.

“Seven.”

Jisung’s tongue poked out as he drew seven scribbled dots across the page, consciously trying to space them out a little. 

“How's that?” he asked, opening his eyes to assess his handiwork. 

Minho turned the paper back towards himself, his eyes squinting. “You drew a line.”

“What? There’s no way I…” Jisung leant forward to get a better look, his face falling as he saw that the other boy was in fact correct. “I drew a line.”

“It’s not even a straight line.”

“Hey! I… It’s… There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Minho burst out laughing and Jisung couldn’t help his face breaking out into a grin, a warm feeling blossoming in his chest. Damn that boy was handsome. 

“I tried so hard,” Jisung protested, his smile turning into a small pout. 

“No, I like it,” Minho reassured him. “No one else would have come up with that.”

“A straight line?”

Minho pointed at him, shaking his head. “A wonky line.”

Jisung pushed his hand away. “I get it though. When you hit that wall… Sometimes, when I’m writing, I know a specific word I want to use, or what I want to convey, but just not how to quite get there. How to make it fit.”

Minho’s eyebrows furrowed as he spoke, nodding along and for a moment Jisung felt the overwhelming urge to lean over and smooth the wrinkle out. He reached for his cup instead, tracing a finger around the rim. 

“Exactly,” Minho agreed enthusiastically. “You write songs, right? With Changbin. He refuses to play me any.”

Jisung laughed, nodding. “I get that with some of the old ones, but the newer stuff isn’t so bad. He’s supposed to be promoting us, not putting people off!”

“Well, he tells me he raps but I’m not sure I believe him. There’s no way he has the… swag.”

“You’ve never said that before, have you?”

“Never.”

Jisung smiled and shrugged. “He’s actually kinda cool. But don't you dare tell him I said that.”

“And see the smug look on his dumb face? No way.” 

Minho smirked, sipping his drink. 

“So, what do you do? Sing? Play the drums?”

“Play the drums?” Jisung questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

Minho’s gaze flicked over him, meeting his eyes for a moment before he nodded, seeming satisfied. “I stand by it. You could play the drums.”

Jisung shook his head, laughing. “Okay. I would be great at the drums, but we’re not that kind of band. We all rap. Chan and I sing a little, I guess, but…”

“You rap? But you’re so…” Minho paused, catching himself and Jisung smirked. 

“No, go on. I’m so..? Small? Wholesome looking?”

“Cute.” Minho seemed to regain his confidence at the blush that threatened to spread over Jisung’s entire body. 

“You seem too cute” he repeated, leaning back in his chair like he’s just commented on the weather. 

“What am I supposed to say to that?” he asked, before his brain fully caught up to the fact that he was speaking out loud. “That you’re too hot to be a dancer?”

“I don’t think that's a thing” the other boy responded and Jisung felt their feet touch under the table. 

Minho was flirting, he realised and for some reason this seemed to increase his confidence considerably. They continued to bounce off one another, Jisung internally cringing at everything that came out of his mouth but also enjoying the way it made Minho let out a little laugh, or his face go completely deadpan in disbelief. They switched from teasing each other, to jointly teasing Changbin who wasn’t even there, to their mutual friends, and then back to school and before Jisung knew it the cafe had emptied and Younghoon was flipping chair’s upside down on the tables. 

“Wow… It’s eight” Minho noted, checking his phone. “I told Changbin I’d bring back dinner.”

He watched as the other boy packed up his things, feeling a little awkward as he sat there without a bag or coat of his own to busy himself with and not wanting to accept the fact that he felt disappointed that this was over. 

They walked together to the door, both seeming unsure of how to say goodbye. He knew Minho’s apartment was in the other direction to his or they could have at least walked a little of the way together. They could have if he still lived in his old building he thought bitterly.

“I’ll see you around then,” Jisung said, pushing his hands into his pocket. It was now completely dark out, and Jisung was deeply regretting not bringing a coat. 

Looking down, Minho pulled something from the pocket of his coat and nudged Jisung’s arm with it. 

“Gloves” he explained, pressing the bundle into Jisung’s palm. “Your fingers will fall off. I’d give you my coat, but… well, I’ll be cold.”

Jisung laughed, taking the gloves from him and pulling them over his hands, curling his fingers like he needed to somehow test them out. 

“Thank you” he said sincerely and Minho shrugged, pushing the door open and letting Jisung go out first. 

He paused as the door shut behind them, half turned away from Jisung as he spoke. 

“I guess you’ll just have to see me again to give them back.”

Jisung took his time on the walk home, the cool air almost pleasant on his flushed face, and a foolish smile tugging at his lips. As he let himself into the empty flat and sank into the sofa, he realised that the thrum of his heartbeat and the swooping feeling in his stomach didn’t always have to be a bad thing, and if being around Minho for an hour could give him a taste of that feeling, he wanted more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The number of times I edited out Jisung fawning over how pretty Minho is in this chapter is remarkable. Sometimes Jisung's brain and my brain, they overlap a little too much.  
> Anyway, now that Jisung can stop worrying about Hyunjin being his soulmate, they can become the best of friends. That would be nice. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	8. Chapter 8

If you had told Jisung a week ago that he and Hyunjin would be walking to their next Thursday morning lecture together, he would have laughed in your face. Jisung had already questioned what kind of alternate reality he was living in when Hyunjin had woken him up by dripping his wet hair onto his face. The other boy had only escaped his wrath for spending so long in the shower that Jisung had fallen back to sleep by pushing a warm cup of coffee toward him before they left. 

He had downed the cup in three long gulps, his gaze pausing on the pair of gloves on his desk and slipping them into the pocket of his backpack before heading out the door. 

“Why are you practically jogging?” Jisung complained, trying to zip up his hoodie as he walked. 

“I’m walking at a completely normal speed for us to get there on time,” Hyunjin replied, smiling to himself as Jisung did his best to keep up with his long strides “perhaps if we had left on time…”

“Perhaps if some of us didn’t hog the bathroom” Jisung shot back and Hyunjin sighed, grabbing the sleeve of Jisung’s hoodie to tug him along. “You didn’t have to wait for me if you were so worried.”

Hyunjin laughed, pushing open the door to the building. “And miss out on this charming morning walk? I was hoping it could become a weekly fixture.”

“Ha ha” Jisung said plainly, hiking his backpack up. “Just remind me to set my alarm earlier next time so that I can get in there before you. We don’t all need so much preening to look pretty.”

“No… but some of us at least like to shower.”

“Hey!” Jisung protested, but Hyunjin had opened the door to the lecture hall so he let the insult go for a moment as he surveyed the room.

Seungmin gave them a small wave from a few rows back, smiling as they headed up the stairs towards him. 

“I shower” Jisung muttered from behind the other boy and he saw that Hyunjin was laughing as he slipped into one of the empty seats. 

“Shut up” Jisung huffed, taking the seat on Seungmin’s other side. 

Seungmin shook his head. “It’s nice to see that becoming flatmates has really brought the two of you together.”

“We’re in domestic bliss” Hyunjin replied, smiling too sweetly. 

“How was your date anyway?” Seungmin asked, changing the subject before any more bickering could begin. 

“Oh yeah, your hot date,” Jisung said, leaning around Seungmin. “He wasn’t back until late, so it must’ve gone well.”

Hyunjin shrugged, busying himself with getting his things out of his bag. “It went okay, I guess.”

“You guess?” Seungmin asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. We talked, we ate. It was nice.”

“Nice?”

Jisung winced and Seungmin elbowed him lightly in the side. 

“It was good. I like him,” Hyunjin rectified.

“Did you kiss?” Jisung asked, smirking.

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “Maybe.”

“Then it can’t have been that bad,” Seungmin concluded. 

“I don't know, I…” Hyunjin glanced at Jisung, then at the desk in front of him, nibbling on his lip. 

“Is it the soulmate thing?” Seungmin asked cautiously.

“I just expected it to be different,” Hyunjin said with a sigh, opening his notebook. “With how all the movies and stuff make it seem… I don't know. I think I expected to feel more.”

Jisung held back a comment. He didn't think that Hyunjin would appreciate his particular opinions on the topic.

“The movies always lie,” Seungmin said, giving Hyunjin a kind smile. “You're not both just going to be instantly in love.”

“No?”

Seungmin and Jisung exchanged a glance and Jisung shook his head. 

“No,” he agreed. “You two just met, right? He’s still a stranger, soulmate or not. You said that you like him, so that has to mean you feel something.”

“Exactly.” Seungmin squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “You’ve got to give it more than two dates before you have a crisis.”

Hyunjin laughed and nodded. “I guess. Maybe I’ll invite him to hang out with you guys or something. It’ll feel a little less… intense.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea. Jisung will come, right?”

Jisung grimaced. “ I mean…”

Seungmin smiled sweetly, despite the fact that he was pushing his knee against Jisung’s with increasing pressure. 

“Sure,” Jisung said, rubbing his leg. “At least if I’m there, he’ll seem great in comparison.”

“Hmm. That’s true” Hyunjin agreed, turning in his chair as the professor entered the room. 

-

Jisung kept to his word this week, following Suengmin towards the accommodation blocks after class. Even just the fact that he had been there once before, being able to picture the layout of Seungmin’s room… It helped relax him a little. 

The whole floor seemed deserted when they arrived, Seungmin letting him drop his things in his room before they continued along the corridor. One of the doors they passed was open, a boy sat at the desk wearing a large pair of headphones over a backwards cap. Seungmin sent him a quick wave and a nod, the other boy shooting him a thumbs up. 

“Eric,” Seungmin explained, opening the door to the kitchen. “His door is quite literally always open. Very friendly.”

Jisung nodded, and took a seat at the table. “Is everyone else out?”

“Hyunjin, Minho and Felix are all in dance until two. Jeongin gets back at about four, but sometimes he goes straight to drama club. Sungchan might be in his room, so maybe he’ll be around, but I know he has an essay due tomorrow. You saw Eric and if he’s on his own, that probably means that the others are out.”

“You have the schedules down, huh? I barely know where _I’m_ supposed to be.”

Seungmin laughed, grabbing a bottle of coke from the fridge and pouring them each a glass. “It’s the mentoring thing… I can’t help it. Their routines are engrained at this point. At least the ones who live here. Minho and Hyunjin just kinda show up.”

“Thanks,” Jisung said, taking the drink and looking around. “It's weird, I never stayed in halls even last year. I feel a bit like I missed out.”

“Don’t. I cleaned this place because I knew you were coming, it usually has a very weird smell.”

Jisung sipped his drink and smiled. “No… The smell is still there. But the atmosphere, and you all hanging out and stuff. I feel like I haven’t had the true student experience.”

“Well, you’re welcome to hang out here whenever you want. Or maybe we can all come and crash you guys’ new place. It's definitely nicer than here.”

“I’d like that,” Jisung agreed. 

The two of them ended up retrieving their bags and studying at the kitchen table in a comfortable silence. Jisung wasn’t usually the conscientious student type, but it was oddly enjoyable feeling productive. After reading over Seungmin’s assignment for mistakes, the other boy had offered to help him with his and if it had been anyone else, Jisung might’ve felt too embarrassed to pull up the blank document, but Seungmin had only rolled his eyes and told him to get on with it while they had a spare hour. 

“How many words are you at?” Seungmin questioned a little while later, looking up from his notes. 

“Um… 950.”

Seungmin smiled, throwing his pen down. “You only need 800, you idiot. Give it here.”

Jisung slid his laptop across the table and rested his chin on his hands as Seungmin read over his work. 

“I can’t believe you just did this in less than an hour. It’s better than mine.”

“Shut up,” Jisung mumbled, smiling. “I’m not as dumb as I look.”

“I know you’re not and that’s what annoys me. Imagine if you tried.”

“I try!” Jisung protested. 

“Then how are you of all people barely scraping a pass?” Seungmin asked, raising an eyebrow. Jisung was beginning to regret sharing that little piece of information, he felt he was being scolded by his mother. Well, not _his_ mother. 

“It’s not English that’s the issue,” he explained. 

“Then what? Music?”

Jisung shrugged. “Just don’t say anything in front of the others, okay? Especially not Chan.”

Seungmin’s gaze softened and he nodded. “But you’ve got to let me help you, and you’ve at least got to go to class.”

“Okay” Jisung agreed. “I’m doing better this semester, I promise. I’m not even behind yet.”

“We’ve barely been back a month, even you can't be behind yet,” Seungmin said with a smirk, ducking when Jisung threw his pen at him across the table.

They were interrupted by commotion outside, the sound of laughter echoing in the hallway. Jisung turned around as the group burst into the kitchen, Hyunjin and Felix were laughing as Chan held the door open for a rather disgruntled looking Minho. The poor boy looked like a donkey, with what seemed to be all of the other boy’s bags slung over his body. 

“You’re going to break his back,” Chan said, shaking his head. 

“Then he shouldn’t make bets that he’s not willing to lose,” Hyunjin replied with a shrug, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. 

Minho caught Jisung’s eyes, his own pleading as he hunched over from the weight of the bags. Felix was already starting to try and free him with little luck. Hopping off his stool, Jisung made his way over and folded his arms. He watched in amusement as Felix struggled to untangle the mess of straps criss crossing the other boy’s body. 

“They must have planned this,” Minho complained, as Felix batted his hands out of the way. “What’s in here? Rocks?”

“No, but that’s a great idea for next time.”

Minho sent Hyunjin a threatening stare, sighing in relief as Chan managed to pull off one of the backpacks. 

“Why do you have to live on the third floor?” he whined, glaring at Seungmin. “I could have died.”

“Why do you make so many dumb bets and how do you always manage to lose?” Seungmin shot back.

“Because Felix cheats!”

Felix, who had managed to free him of two gym bags and was working on the third, looked up in alarm. 

“Being more flexible than you, is not cheating,” Hyunjin cut in. 

Minho pouted, one final bag hanging around his neck. Jisung took a step forward and eased the strap over his head, laughing as Minho collapsed into his arms in relief. Jisung just about managed to hold the other boy up, stumbling back a few steps as he wrapped his arms around his chest.

“Oof,” Jisung gasped, “you’re crushing me.”

Minho righted his feet, supporting himself enough to stand on his own with a grin. “I guess we’re equal now.”

Jisung rolled his eyes, shoving the other boy gently. “I didn’t fall on you on purpose.”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Jisung was about to protest further, but caught Felix’s eye. The other boy was watching them with a smile and Jisung shook his head, smiling as he sat on the sofa instead. 

“Have you guys eaten?” Chan asked.

“No, we were waiting for your ugly faces to show up,” Seungmin replied. 

Hyunjin tutted, climbing onto the seat beside him. “Is anyone else coming?”

“I don’t think so.”

The rest of the boys started to discuss what food they should order, and Jisung took the opportunity to tug Chan down onto the sofa beside him. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked. Jisung was surprised to see the other boy, and wondered when each of their random acquaintances had developed into something of a group of friends. 

“Felix invited me,” he replied, “but he did say you’d be here and I missed you.”

Jisung slung one of his legs over Chan’s. “It’s only been two days.”

“Still missed you.” Chan smiled, squeezing Jisung’s leg. 

“Loser.”

Chan laughed, shaking his head. “What have I missed?”

“In two days? Um… I ate some ramen, went for a walk… Oh! Actually, I solved the Hyunjin problem all by myself.”

“Solved it how?”

“I asked him if he’s my soulmate,” Jisung said proudly. 

Chan looked pleasantly surprised, raising his eyebrows. “And?”

“Do you think I’d be sitting here right now if he was? I’d be at that place asking them for a new one,” Jisung scoffed. 

Chan laughed. “And what place is this exactly?”

“I dunno.” Jisung shrugged. “The soulmates complaints office.”

“I don't think that’s a thing.”

“Well, it should be. I’m sure plenty of people have issues they would like to voice.”

“Apparently not,” Chan said, poking Jisung’s cheek. “Seeing as Hyunjin isn’t yours, it seems to me that they don’t make as many mistakes as you seem to think.”

“Hyunjin isn’t what?” Felix asked, sitting down beside them. 

“My soulmate,” Jisung explained.

“Ah yeah, I know. I was there when he thought it was you. I’ve never seen anyone so panicked,” Felix said and Chan giggled beside him. 

“You freaked out too?!” Jisung accused, looking over at Hyunjin. 

Hyunjin shot Felix a glare, the other boy simply shrugging with a smile. “It was funny.”

“What was?” Seungmin asked. 

“Hyunjin thought Jisung was his soulmate,” Felix explained. “He went so pale and his hands kept flapping about.”

Seungmin sniggered, and Jisung noticed that Minho had looked up from his phone, their eyes meeting for a moment.

“I’m not though,” Jisung blurted, looking back at the rest of the boys. The statement was redundant, he realised a little too late. Everyone else in the room already knew what had happened and he felt his cheeks flush as he cleared his throat. 

“I hear it's some hot dance guy…” he added, looking at Chan.

“Oh. You found yours?” Chan asked, turning to look at Hyunjin. “That’s so cool.”

“I’m jealous,” Felix said with a sigh. 

“Me too,” Seungmin agreed, pouting. 

“Hey! What do you mean, you too?” Jisung accused, sitting up. “Are you dropping your boy already?”

“What boy?!” Hyunjin asked, looking between them.

Seungmin’s eyes were wide and he looked a little like he might kill Jisung. In his defense, he thought that if he knew about Seungmin’s little crush, then his actual friends surely would. 

“Jeongin obviously,” Minho said with a shrug, putting his phone down on the table. 

Seungmin’s ears were bright red as he groaned, hiding his face in his hands. 

“I knew it!” Felix declared, almost jumping out of his seat. 

Seungmin peeked out, his eyes meeting Jisung’s. Jisung put on his best apologetic face, and Seungmin sighed, letting his hands fall. “Just don’t say anything. Please.”

“We all knew anyway,” Hyunjin offered. 

“I didn't...” Chan said, gasping as Jisung elbowed him in the ribs. 

“You don’t even know who Jeongin is,” Felix said, laughing. 

“Of course I do! He was at the orientation. He’s a real cutie... And now that you mention it, Seungmin does talk about him a lot at our mentoring check-ins.”

Seungmin groaned louder, returning to his hiding spot. 

“I thought they were already hooking up,” Minho offered, smirking. 

The rest of the room burst out laughing as Seungmin whined, looking between Minho and Jisung like he couldn’t choose who to murder first. “I hate all of you.”

“Well, I for one hope you make a move soon,” Felix said.

“I’ve been telling him this for months,” Jisung added. 

“And I’ve told you that we are friends and I’m okay with that. He’s only a first year, and I’m his mentor… I don’t want to make it weird.”

“Please” Minho scoffed, “you’re like five months older than him. He flirts with you all the time. You’re practically already a couple.”

“You just need a good moment, like when we went out that one time and you were all over each other” Hyunjin suggested.

“When the hell was this?”

“Before summer, you know… the night with Minho and the guy in the green jumper…” Hyunjin trailed off, taking note of the warning look that Minho was sending him. 

“Anyway…” he continued, turning back to the rest of the room. “Why don’t we all go out, have a few drinks… loosen up…”

“It is Jisung’s birthday next week,” Chan offered. Jisung frowned, nibbling on his lip. “And, Lix… it’s yours too, right?”

“Yeah,” Felix said with a smile, looking surprised that the other boy had remembered.

Jisung’s frown deepened at the way Hyunjin’s eyes lit up. “This is perfect!”

“I guess we could do something tomorrow night. It’s a Friday… I can ask Innie if he’s free...” Seungmin conceded, a smile pulling at his lips. “Jisung did say he wanted the full student experience.”

“I’m in,” Minho agreed, “if Jisung is coming.”

Jisung’s head shot up as Hyunjin cleared his throat awkwardly. He could feel Chan watching him as he searched Minho's face. The other boy was smiling back at him smugly, and Jisung could feel his heart hammering in his chest. 

Every instinct inside of him rebelled, his brain was already filing through excuses, knowing that Chan would back him up. He could adready feel the boy move beside him, ready to cut in and save him from having to answer, but the words were falling from his mouth before he could stop them. Minho’s eyes were so sure, so warm, his eyebrow raised in a challenge, and in that room of a mismatched bunch of friends, for the first time, Jisung realised he didn't need the excuses. He wanted to say yes. 

“It sounds great.”

He didn’t miss the little sound of surprise from Chan beside him, or the way Seungmin beamed, and instead of dread, Jisung felt lighter than he had in weeks. 

“So, the six of us and Jeongin…” Hyunjin said. “You’re coming right, Chan?”

Chan nodded, glancing at Jisung who smiled back reassuringly. “I guess so. What about Changbin?”

“I’ll text him,” Minho offered, grabbing his phone off the table. “But I’m sure he’ll be up for it.”

“Uh…” Felix started and Seungmin cut him off, holding up a hand. 

“You are definitely coming. It's _your_ birthday.”

“And Changbin will be excited to see you,” Chan added, giving Felix a reassuring smile. “It’s not going to be anything too crazy, right? Just a couple of drinks.”

“Right,” Minho said with a smirk. 

“Of course” Hyunjin agreed, exchanging a suspicious look with the other boy. 

-

By the time they had agreed the details and actually ordered their food, Seungmin had barely had time to eat before rushing to his photography class. The lecture had been pretty boring, and it was already getting dark by the time he made it back to the dorms. He could hear chatting and laughter coming from the kitchen, but knowing that Felix was hanging out with Chan that evening, he headed to his room instead, hoping to get some time to himself for a change. 

Tossing his bag on the floor and pulling off his jacket, he headed into the bathroom to shower and change into some more comfortable clothes. Flicking on the water, he began to unbutton his shirt as he looked around the room. He hadn’t braved the laundry room since returning from summer break and the basket of dirty clothes had started to spill over. Unfortunately, that also meant that he was out of clean towels.Venturing back into his room, he headed for the wardrobe remembering that he had stuck a few smaller hand towels on the top shelf back at the start of term. 

Seungmin pulled the doors open, trying to decide if he could be bothered to trudge to the laundry room tonight, or if he could survive a few more days. There was no use attempting to get a machine over the weekend, that was for sure. He was already reaching up when something caught his eye. His brain didn’t quite function at first as his body froze in fear, two wide eyes peering up at him, and then he was screaming and the boy in front of him was screaming back. 

“Fucking hell, Jeongin” he panted, a hand pressed against his chest. “What the freaking fuck are you doing?!”

Seungmin had stumbled back, his back pressed to the wall as he hunched over, his heart hammering in his chest. The other boy looked up at him from where he was curled up, looking a little guilty. 

“What are you doing?” Seungmin repeated, walking back towards him. 

Jeongin was about to respond when the sound of someone marching past the door made him freeze. 

“Yang Jeongin!” Hyunjin’s voice called, followed by the pounding of a fist on the door next to his. 

Jeongin whimpered, his eyes flashing towards the door and then back to Seungmin, and Seungmin barely had the chance to look confused before a hand was wrapping around his wrist and tugging him to the ground. 

“Innie…” he protested, watching as the other boy shuffled backwards, making himself as small as possible. 

“Get in,” he hissed. 

“What?”

“Get in” Jeongin repeated, tugging eagerly on Seungmin’s arm.

Before he could really think about it, Seugmin was crawling into the small space. He had to tuck his knees into his chest to fit, so curled up that he could barely keep his balance when he took his hand off the ground. Fingers curled around his bicep as he wobbled and Jeongin pulled the door shut, casting them both into darkness. Their legs tangled together, one of Jeongin’s knees between his own and the other boy’s strong hold on his arm the only thing stopping them both from toppling out. 

Seungmin was still panting softly as they listened to the sound of Hyunjin knocking again, and then his footsteps moving to Seungmin’s door. Jeongin’s fingers tightened their grip, digging into the skin of Seungmin’s arm through his shirt and Seungmin brought his hand up to touch the other boy's wrist gently. 

“Wha-...” Seungmin whispered, cut off as Jeongin pressed a finger to his lips.

“Min?” Hyunjin called, tapping lightly on his door. Seungmin held his breath, staring anywhere but straight ahead. It was pretty dark, but he could feel Jeongin watching him. He wasn’t sure how or why he had ended up here, with his own shoes digging into his thighs, but the memory of the other boy’s desperate eyes was enough for him to keep quiet until they heard Hyunjin’s footsteps move away. 

Seungmin lowered his gaze from the clothes hanging above them to Jeongin’s face. His eyes adjusted enough to make out the other boy blinking back at him, and suddenly Seungmin was all too aware of every inch of them that touched. One of Jeongin’s legs pressed into his side, the material of his jeans rough under the grip Seungmin had on his knee. Jeongin’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips and Seungmin’s eyes followed the movement, captivated completely. He was leaning forward, just an inch, his breath coming quicker. He could feel Jeongin’s hand shaking where he clung onto his arm, and then his fingers were slipping, Seungmin’s shirt sliding off his shoulder. And they were falling. 

The doors to the wardrobe were thrown open as they spilled onto the ground, and for a moment they were both too surprised to do anything but lie helplessly on the ground, their legs still tangled together. Jeongin was the first to move, pushing himself up and offering out his hand. Seungmin took it, letting himself be pulled to his feet. Jeongin’s face was flushed pink, his eyes crinkling as he giggled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Sorry for scaring you.”

“I…” Seungmin started, his voice breaking. He cleared his throat and pulled his shirt back onto his shoulder. 

“I was hiding from Hyunjin,” Jeonging explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “I might have upset him a little bit.”

Seungmin let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “It’s okay, I was just shocked. I almost had a heart attack.”

“Sorry” Jeongin repeated, looking a little ashamed. “I didn’t hear you come back. I think I might have nodded off.”

It took every ounce of willpower Seungmin had not to let the word ‘cute’ fall from his lips and the way Jeongin inched a little closer was not helping his resolve one bit. 

Despite the way Jeongin smiled at him, and suddenly being ejected back into the light of the real world where personal space was a thing, tension still hung between them. Seungmin struggled to maintain the seemingly normal conversation that they were having as Jeongin continued to very surely move towards him, his smile softening into an expression he had never seen before on the younger boy. 

“It’s okay,” he said, and he could only be glad that his voice didn’t crack again. “What could you have possibly done to make him so mad?”

“Um… I might’ve borrowed his jumper,” Jeongin confessed, his head tilting to the side

Seungmin winced. “I hope it wasn’t the cream one.”

Jeongin looked up guiltily. “And I might’ve spilled some ramen on it…”

“Oh my god. You’re dead” Seungmin laughed, resting a hand on Jeongin’s shoulder. 

“I’m too young,” Jeongin pleaded, moving closer still. “You have to protect me.”

“No way.” Seungmin took a shaky breath, one of his feet moving backwards and colliding with the wall. 

“But he can’t kill me,” Jeongin reiterated, his eyes wide and positively glistening. It was his cutest face, the one he pulled out whenever he wanted something, like the last slice of pizza, or for someone else to take his turn doing the dishes. They all found it near impossible to resist. Even Minho could buckle if Jeongin tried hard enough with those eyes, and Jeongin knew it. 

Seungmin felt himself melting and if Jeongin kept this up he would end up as little more than a puddle on the ground. 

“Why?” His voice was barely more than a whisper as he spoke. He wasn’t used to this, he usually managed to maintain control. But then again, Jeongin had never stared down at him with such open attraction. And there it was. Seungmin couldn’t deny the fact that Jeongin was staringly quite openly at his mouth. 

“Because…” Jeongin started, and Seungmin’s breath hitched as he felt the other boys breath against his lips.

He wasn’t sure if he imagined the way Jeongin’s head tilted to the side, or the brush of his fingers against his waist, because Seungmin’s eyes fluttered shut. 

Another knock came and Seungmin almost whimpered as he felt Jeongin move away. His door was flung open and Jeongin must’ve had his hand at his waist, because suddenly he was using it to pull Seungmin in front of him, hiding behind his back. 

“I knew you were in here!” Hyunjin declared, looking from Seungmin to the boy peeking over his shoulder. His eyes turned from accusing to confused as his gaze flicked to Seungmin, taking in his flushed cheeks and half unbuttoned shirt. 

Seungmin shook his head quickly, his blush deepening and thankfully Hyunjin returned his focus to the other boy, marching towards Jeongin with purpose. 

“You better have a stain removal pen, kid or I swear…”

Jeongin whimpered, darting from behind Seungmin and making a break for the door.

“It wasn't me!” he called, barely more than a blur as he disappeared down the hallway.

Hyunjin gave Seungmin one last pointed look before setting after him. “I hope you’ve been saving up your pocket money! This wasn’t cheap!”

Seungmin considered following, either to protect the younger boy or at least break up the inevitable fight, but he pushed his bedroom door shut instead, resting his forehead against the wood. He could almost feel Jeongin’s lips against his, the ghost of his fingers pressing into his arms. There would probably be a bruise he thought, or hoped. 

They messed around a lot, it wasn’t unusual for Jeongin to playfully bite him, or for Seungmin to end up with the other boy pinned beneath him, one of them stealing cuddles as the other tried to squirm away. Countless times Seungmin had considered pressing a kiss to the other boy’s cheek, but never had he felt so helpless. He’d never considered the possibility of Jeongin’s eyes fixed on his mouth, or leaning in, backing him up until he was trapped. He should have thought of it though. Jeongin who was so sure of himself, with his easy confidence and his heart so pure. Of course he would be the one brave enough. Seungmin squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. He was so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeongin has zero chill. I love that for him. And there has not been enough of him so far, I apologise, but I hope the seungin makes up for that. 
> 
> Also thank you so much for 100 kudos, and especially the comments on the last chapter, it really means a lot and encourages me to keep going <3
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	9. Chapter 9

“Why can’t you come?” Seungmin complained, hooking his chin over Jeongin’s shoulder and digging it in. 

Jeongin squirmed, pushing the other boy away as he fixed his hair in the mirror. “Because I already agreed to go out with Sungchan and some of his friends. I can’t hang out with you old people all the time.”

Seungmin huffed, sitting on the edge of Jeongin’s bed and pulling one of his stuffed animals to his chest. 

“They’ll be plenty of weeks for us to hang out,” Jeongin said, trying to placate him. “What’s going to happen to me when the rest of you graduate if I don't have other friends?”

Seungmin hummed, watching the other boy as he smoothed lip balm over his lips and peered closer to the mirror. Jeongin turned around, tossing the lip balm onto the bed and Seungmin’s eyes widened as he leaned down. He tried to keep his expression smooth as Jeongin took his face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking his cheeks. 

“Don’t spend all night pouting, okay? Have fun,” he said with a smile. “Now, get out so I can get dressed.”

Jeongin squeezed his cheeks quickly before letting go. He eased the toy from Seungmin’s arms and looked down at him expectantly, like he hadn’t just sent Seungmin’s heart into a frenzy. If anything, he looked a little smug.

Seungmin blinked back. An idea flashed through his mind, of standing up and walking Jeongin backwards, pressing him against the desk and leaning down to push their mouths together. But the other boy had had him there. He’d been so close yesterday and yet he hadn’t closed that gap. He was here now with no one to interrupt them and he hadn’t made any move to do more than test Seungmin’s patience. 

Ever since the incident the previous day, Seungmin’s crush had escalated dramatically. Into what, he didn't know, but it was like a dam had broken. He’d allowed himself a moment, with his eyes squeezed shut and his duvet pulled over his head at two am to let his imagination run. He remembered the feel of Jeongin’s hands, the smell of him when they cuddled up in his bed to watch a movie. He pictured the way their fingers would feel slotted together, Jeongin’s face hovering over his, his arms around his neck, or pressing kisses all over the other boy’s face as he smiled up at him. He had pictured it until it hurt, until he had rolled over and pressed his face into the pillow, a silent scream in his throat and images of the other boy spilling over into his dreams. 

Swallowing thickly, Seungmin stood up and grabbed one of the jumpers that was slung over the back of the desk chair. 

“This one” he said, tossing it towards Jeongin who caught it against his chest.  
“It looks good on you,” Seungmin explained, shrugging and heading for the door.

Seungmin was halfway down the corridor when he heard Jeongin call back a thanks, and he couldn’t help but smile when the other boy had appeared at his door to say goodbye wearing the jumper he had picked. 

“Don’t drink too much,” Jeongin warned, grinning. 

“Text me that you both get back safe” Seungmin replied, waving as Sungchan tugged him away. 

-

By the time Jisung, Chan and Hyunjin arrived at the flat, Felix’s cheeks already had a rosy tint and the entire flat had an underlying scent of aftershave. Over the last few hours, Jisung had managed to go from light nerves, to deciding that there was absolutely no way he was going, to landing somewhere around cautious excitement. 

Returning from his shift at the cafe, he had taken a quick shower, put on his good black jeans and tucked in an expensive grey shirt that Changbin had given him for christmas. He’d tried on a few different jackets and cardigans before deciding to forgo them all, not wanting to have to keep track of a jacket when he inevitably got too hot later. Taking the time to properly style his hair, parting it and adding a little product, Jisung thought that he looked quite good. He had even patted a little tint onto his lips, blushing when he had caught Hyunjin watching him in the reflection of the mirror. 

“You ready?” he had asked, turning around and trying not to show how closely he was paying attention to Hyunjin’s opinion on his appearance. 

Hyunjin nodded, his eyes flicking down. “So you do own real clothes” he noted, and Jisung decided to take that as a compliment. 

When he pushed open the kitchen door, however, a little bit of Jisung’s confidence faded as he took in the array of bottles spread across the table, and the fact that there were several more faces than he had expected. The boy Seungmin had introduced as Eric was perched on the edge of the table, a cup in his hand as he chatted excitedly to Felix who seemed to have slotted right back into whatever conversation they had been having before leaving to let them in. 

There were two others he didn’t recognise talking to Seungmin at the far side of the room. They were both dressed in sweatpants and Jisung assumed that meant they wouldn’t be joining them. The rest of the room had done little more than glance over at the new arrivals, Seungmin sending them a smile and a nod, but Jisung could sense that someone was watching them as his eyes finally rested on the final two boys. 

“Don't you all look lovely” Minho commented from where he leant against the kitchen counter. A boy Jisung didn’t recognise stood beside him, a shy smile on his face, one hand sliding nervously into his pocket.

“Hey.”

“Juyeon?” Hyunjin replied, looking pleasantly surprised. He moved past Jisung to greet the other boy. “What are you doing here?” 

Juyeon laughed, ducking his head. “Felix invited me, I hope that’s okay.”

Hyunjin nodded, looking like he was about to reach for the other boy, but not entirely sure what he should do. “Of course. I would... I mean… I would’ve asked you…”

Juyeon was shaking his head, mumbling something quietly that made Hyunjin smile, his hand coming to rest gently on Hyunjin’s hip. He leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to Hyunjin’s cheek and Jisung had to force himself to look away, something twisting uncomfortably in his stomach as the soft gestures between them. 

Minho had slipped away, making his way towards Chan and Jisung with two cups in his hands. “Here” he offered, holding them out. 

“Getting started?” Chan asked with a laugh, but took the cup glady. 

Jisung raised an eyebrow and Minho shrugged. “Whatever the first years have hidden in cupboards is free, and the student bar is surprisingly expensive.”

Taking the cup, Jisung looked down at the liquid cautiously. “What happened to not accepting drinks from strangers?”

“Strangers? Minho and I go way back.” Chan laughed, nudging the other boy who looked unimpressed. “I remember when you and Binnie were baby first years.”

“And fun times we had,” Minho agreed. 

“Wait, you’re _Minho_ Minho. Oh my god, how did I not put this together? Changbin’s roommate first year? You're toboggan boy. You're my hero.”

Minho groaned, looking up. “How the hell do you know about that?”

Chan giggled into his cup, his eyes crinkling as Jisung gripped Minho’s arm, sinking to his knees, his eyes wide. “You braved the biggest hill on campus. You flew.”

Minho smiled reluctantly, nodding. “Okay okay.”

“At least twenty seconds of airtime he got too after he hit that rock,” Chan added as Jisung continued to grin up at Minho in awe.

“Yeah, and I broke three fingers” Minho said, pushing Jisung lightly so that he toppled back, landing on his bum with a soft oof. 

Jisung pouted, holding out his hands for Minho to pull him back to his feet. 

“I can still hear the way they cheered for you” Chan reminisced with a small sigh, resting a hand on his chest. “Y’know, people on campus still call him Boggy.”

“People? Half my professors call me Boggy” Minho complained, rolling his eyes. 

Jisung bit back a laugh, shrugging. “I don't know why you don't like it.”

“He loves it.”

Minho humphed, but Jisung noticed that he did look a little proud as he walked away shaking his head. “Just know that if any of the second years find out about that nickname, I will hold you two wholly responsible.”

Jisung giggled, looking down at his cup. 

“You alright?” Chan asked, receiving a hum in response. 

“Mingle” he instructed, going to join Felix and Eric once he received a nod and a reassuring smile in response. 

Taking a tentative sip of his drink, Jisung watched the rest of the room. Minho was back at the table, refilling his own drink and chatting to one of the boys he hadn’t recognised. He was also wearing a shirt tucked into a pair of skin tight jeans, but his shirt was silk, the material rippling over the muscles of his back as he moved. Jisung bit down on the rim of his cup, the plastic crinkling under his fingers. 

He hadn’t been kidding himself as he had gotten ready, Jisung knew exactly who he wanted to look good for. The stories had already started before the summer, mentions of students Jisung was only faintly aware of having their connections. Between twenty and twenty five was the most common age, so it wasn’t particularly surprising, but Jisung could already feel his window closing. Because as much as he put up an uncaring front, and despite his vow to not settle down, to not let someone break him apart like his father, Jisung still longed for something. Without being soulmates, there was already an easy out, an agreed end to anything that developed, and so before everyone else found ‘the one’, maybe this was his chance.

He had tried the party scene in his first year, and he didn’t really fancy giving that another go. It was too loud, with too many hands and his skin crawled just thinking about it. And it wasn’t like he knew that many people, his social circle consisting of Seungmin and those he worked with at the cafe. And now there was Minho. Minho was confident and attractive, but more importantly he was sweet and funny too. He couldn’t imagine things being awkward between them, they could still be friends after, and so he had styled his hair and sprayed aftershave behind his ear and he had decided for once in his life to be brave. 

“It’s just coke,” Minho said and Jisung looked up to see him nod towards his cup, smiling. “Seungmin mentioned that you don't really drink.” He rejoined Jisung’s side, leaning back against the counter beside him. 

“Not usually,” Jisung admitted, taking a longer drink and letting the liquid ease his dry throat. “That depends though. If I have to watch Chan try to dance again, or… well, those two…” he nodded towards Hyunjin and Juyeon who were still absorbed in one another, “then I might need it.”

Letting out a small giggle, Minho nodded. “Will I get to see you on the dance floor?”

“I guess that depends if there’s anyone worth dancing with.”

Minho hummed, shifting closer until their hips almost touched. “How come it took us this long to meet?”

Jisung cleared his throat, keeping his eyes down as Minho turned to look at him. “I… I don’t really know I guess. When I hung out with Changbin, it was always at Chan’s or work.”

“And Seungmin?”

“Ah… I kind of just avoided him.” He heard Minho let out a small laugh and looked up to find him smiling. 

“Because of Hyunjin?”

“Because I’m a shit friend” Jisung countered, and Minho cocked his head. “But i’ve been trying to be better… It’s been nice actually.”

“Good.” Minho nodded, his smile returning. “I’m a shit friend too, so don’t expect too much.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Minho raised an eyebrow. “No? I called Felix ‘Phil’ yesterday.”

Jisung burst out laughing, waving his hand. “No, no… That does not count. You just met.”

“No?” Minho huffed out a laugh, standing up straight like Jisung had offered him a challenge. “For his birthday, I gave Changbin a piece of art that was in my bedroom when we rented the place, because I didn’t like it.”

Jisung laughed harder, shaking his head. “They’re going to charge him for that when you move out!”

“I know!”

Jisung pressed his face into Minho’s shoulder, feeling the shake of the other’s boy’s body as he laughed beneath him. “No, your right. You’re a terrible friend.”

“Oi, you two,” Seungmin called, and Jisung turned his face to find Minho looking down at him, a fondness in his eyes. Feeling his cheeks warm, he looked away quickly, removing his head from Minho’s shoulder. 

Seungmin was walking towards them with his arms outstretched. “Where’s Changbin?”

“Where’s Jeongin?” Jisung shot back, looking unimpressed. “I’m really starting to think you made him up.”

Seungmin huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“He dropped Seungmin to hang out with his roommate” Minho cut in, receiving a glare. 

“He already had plans,” Seungmin corrected. 

“Well, Changbin will be here. He had to wait for a delivery, but he is coming,” Jisung explained, placing his cup down on the counter beside him and standing up straight. “What time are we leaving anyway?”

Minho pulled his phone out of pocket and checked the time. “Ten minutes? If we don't want to miss the two for one drinks. Bin told me he’d meet us there.”

“Sounds like enough time for you to get some clothes on!” Eric shouted, attracting the attention of the room. “C’mon Chenle, it’ll be fun.”

One of the boys Jisung didn’t recognise sighed, nodding. “Okay okay, but I am not going to that place we ended up at last time. You could barely lift your feet, the floor was so sticky.”

“Sunwoo?” Eric begged, pouting as he turned his attention to the other boy. 

“Fine” the boy Jisung took to be Sunwoo groaned, letting Chenle tug him from his seat and earning a small woop. 

“You guys better be quick, or we’re leaving without you” Seungmin warned, “and I’m not carting anyone’s drunk asses home, so three drinks max.”

Sunwoo sent him a quick salute, Chenle giggling where he held the door open for the other boy. 

“And do not try and make Beomgyu come, he has a deadline and you know he’s easily susceptible.”

Seungmin winced as he heard a door slam down the corridor, rubbing his forehead. “This is why we don’t hang out” he mumbled to himself. 

Chan patted his back, smiling. “They’ll be fine,” he reassured Seungmin, “we’re not even leaving campus, and you’ve got me and three third years to help keep an eye on them.”

“Juyeon’s a third year?” Seungmin asked, looking up in surprise. 

“Me?” Juyeon looked around, as the rest of the room turned to look at him. “I… Yeah. I was on the floor below Minho and Changbin in halls first year. Why?”

Seungmin smirked, shaking his head. “No reason. I just always knew Hyunjin liked an older man, it makes sense.”

Jisung bit back a laugh, trying his best not to make eye contact with Felix who seemed to be facing a similar struggle. Minho, on the other hand, seemed to have no issue smirking across at Hyunjin whose ears were growing redder by the second. 

Seungmin looked awfully pleased with himself as he finished the rest of his drink and set his cup on the table. 

“Well, I’ve had a crush on Hyunjin since we were paired up for that dance workshop last February,” Juyeon said with a small smile, Hyunjin turning towards him, his anger at Seungmin seeming to melt away a little. 

“You have?”

“Yeah.” Juyeon leant back, resting his hands on the counting behind him so that muscles in his arms rippled. “You’re hard not to fall for. I mean… your face. You’re sort of insanely pretty. Of course I had a crush on you.”

Jisung noticed the way Hyunjin’s posture stiffened, his eyes falling to the ground. He might’ve thought it was embarrassment at the compliment, Juyeon certainly seemed to think so with the way he watched him, endeared. But it wasn’t the same as the way he had reacted before, when Felix had complimented his dancing or even when Jisung had told him he looked good before his first date. 

“It seems only fair that you know Hyunjin has mentioned how hot you are on several occasions,” Minho said casually and something seemed to settle within Hyunjin, his usual posture returning as he shot Minho a glare. 

“I can’t believe they haven’t hooked up yet,” Seungmin murmured. ”Man, I bet that would be hot.” His eyes widened as he looked up, slapping a hand over his own mouth. 

Felix’s laugh finally erupted out of him and Chan had to support the other boy, bursting into laughter himself when he caught sight of Hyunjin’s expression. 

“Did I say that out loud?!” Seungmin asked, horrified. He resembled something close to a tomato and Jisung wondered exactly how many drinks he’d already had. 

“Are you drunk?” Eric asked, cackling. 

Hyunjin was shaking his head as Juyeon laughed into his shoulder. “Would you like me to invite you to watch?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Oh my god” Seungmin groaned, leaning over to bury his face in his arms against the wall. 

“He did do a few shots,” Minho said, heading over to pat the top of the boy’s head. 

“Seungmin? Shots?!” Jisung questioned, surprised. “Is he really that distraught about Jeongin not coming?”

Jisung received a glare as Felix wrapped an arm around Seungmin’s shoulders, pulling him out of his hiding spot and Jisung noticed the way the smaller boy swayed a little. 

“Maybe you should stay here.”

“No!” Seungmin exclaimed, standing up straight. “I’ll be fine. It’s just my brain is… I… I’ve had a stressful day. Hyunjin…”

Hyunjin waved a hand, smiling. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not wrong.”

Juyeon had ducked his head, hiding behind Hyunjin’s shoulder but it was clear he was smiling, his arms sliding around the boy’s waist as Hyunjin leaned back against his chest.

-

Jisung hadn’t ventured to the student bar for months, but little had changed. A variety of tables and booths lined the edges of the room, while bodies crowded in the centre, moving in a way that he supposed could be considered dancing. It wasn’t as bad as the clubs he had been dragged to in his first year, with their pounding music and flashing lights, but he was still glad when Chan had ushered their group towards a large table nearer the back of the room. The first years had dispersed immediately, spotting a group they seemed to recognise and disappearing into the mass of bodies. 

Somewhere around their third drinks, Seungmin had yelled something about buying the next round and disappeared towards the bar, Chan in tow. It had been a while and Jisung had started to grow concerned until Felix had nodded towards the bar where Chan leaned casually talking to another boy with dark hair. Felix wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, drawing a laugh out of Jisung, and a whistle from Minho that had no chance of making it to Chan over the music, but left them giggling anyway. 

Seungmin had seemed to give up waiting for the other boy and returned to their table with a small tray of the drinks he could manage on his own. His eyes were bright and his cheeks flushed, and Jisung was reminded of when they had first met fresh out of high school. 

“He is such a flirt,” the boy stated, sliding into the booth beside Minho and shaking his head as he divided the drink among them. 

“I don’t think he realises he’s doing it,” Jisung said. “One of the delivery girls is obsessed with him, and he’s completely oblivious.”

Felix nodded, taking a sip of his drink. “When I was in middle school, I had a huge crush on him.”

“On Chan?!” Hyunjin asked, eyes wide. 

Felix hummed, nodding, a slight blush rising on his cheeks. “He knows… I told him years later and he was completely surprised. I even sent him a card once on Soulmates Day.”

The group laughed, Seungmin ruffling the boy’s hair fondly as Felix smiled into his drink. 

“You’ve just got to be direct with him. Once he gets it… he knows what he’s doing. Great kisser,” Minho noted. 

Jisung’s head whipped towards Minho at his words, looking alarmed. Minho’s hand paused, his glass halfway to his lips as noticed the stares of the rest of the group, a slow smile spreading over his face. 

“What?”

“You’re not going to elaborate?” Hyunjin questioned and Minho giggled. 

“It was first year... I was proving a point, it doesn’t count.”

“I can’t believe you didn't tell me this. I thought I was your best friend” Hyunjin muttered, pouting. 

“What were you trying to prove?” Jisung asked. 

“Yeah. How exactly do you prove a point with your mouth, Minho?” Seungmin sat up, his eyes narrowing. 

“I could show you, if you’d like,” Minho offered, seeming satisfied at Seungmin’s mildly repulsed expression, finally taking a sip of his drink. His eyes flicked to the side, meeting Jisung’s for a moment as he set his glass back down, like he was gaging the boy’s reaction.

Jisung stared back cooly, doing his best to seem unaffected. Truly, the idea of Minho making out with his friends was more amusing than anything else. Hot even. No, he wasn’t jealous at all. Hyunjin was talking again, and Jisung realised the conversation had carried on around them. 

“How many of our friends have you made out with exactly?” Hyunjin asked.

“Well, not me. I can promise you that!” Seungmin nodded determinedly, and Minho rolled his eyes. 

“Juyeon…” Minho started and Hyunjin spluttered, placing his glass down a little more forcefully than necessary. 

“Juyeon?!”

Minho held up a hand. “What I was going to say, was Juyeon… Who was that friend of yours? The pretty one. Does he count?”

“Why would he count?” Seungmin asked. “We don’t even know him.”

“Well, Juyeon is our friend. I don't know where that ends.”

“He means Jaehyun,” Juyeon offered. “Soulmates night two years ago, right?”

Minho clicked his fingers, nodding. “Jaehyun! Yes. What happened to that guy?”

“He connected a few months later. Moved to Italy.”

“Oh wow.”

Juyeon nodded, shrugging his shoulders. 

“But that’s it right?” Hyunjin asked, looking around. 

“Yes, that’s it. What do you think I do, just go around seducing everyone? Because I’m pretty sure Chan has made out with more of us than I have.”

Felix perked up, grinning. “Who?!” He looked from Minho to Jisung and raised an eyebrow. 

“Oh no” Jisung denied hastily, shaking his head. “Do not look at me.”

Minho's eyes practically sparkled, pure sadistic joy taking over his face as the rest of the boys collectively leaned closer. “Changbin” he said simply and the table erupted. 

Hyunjin and Seungmin exchanged a look, and Felix clapped wildly, giggling. Jisung watched the reactions, momentarily stunned, while Juyeon just looked mostly confused. 

“It was a dare. Changbin’s second week of school,” Minho added, looking smug. 

“How did they not tell me? I can not believe this…” Jisung muttered. He knew why really, because he’d never let them live it down, but he still couldn’t believe he was only discovering this now. 

Felix’s expression seemed to mirror his own feelings, somewhere between surprise, horror and awe and he looked like he was about to say something when a figure appeared by their table. 

“Hey, I got the…'' Chan paused, holding the tray of drinks in front of himself as he looked around the table, frowning. “What? What did… Why are you all looking at me like that?!”

It had taken three full minutes for their laughter to die down, the glare Minho shot them effectively keeping the group quiet as Chan continued to pester them about what had happened, Hyunjin pulling Juyeon away to escape to the dancefloor. Minho had claimed that he needed the bathroom not long after, Chan following after him as he continued to bug him for answers and Seungmin trailed after them, because according to him, he wanted to watch Minho squirm. 

Glancing around the now deserted table, Jisung realised that only he and Felix remained, the other boy nibbling on his lip as he looked around the room. With the way he radiated such happiness, and how Chan acted around him, Jisung had forgotten how weird this must be for him. Felix had only known the rest of the boys for a few weeks, and despite his smile, Jisung wondered if sometimes he felt just as alien in these situations as he did. Shuffling along the seat, Jisung settled beside the other boy, smiling warmly when Felix turned towards him. 

“Hey.”

“So… Chan and Changbin, huh?” Felix said with a small laugh. 

“Oh yeah. That’s an image.”

Felix nodded, bringing his hands together to play with his fingers. 

“I’m glad you decided to come,” Jisung said, hoping to convey his sincerity to the boy. “Chan… he’s really happy you’re here. I know you mean a lot to him.”

A smile pulled at Felix’s lips as he looked up. “He means a lot to me too. I’ve missed him.”

He paused for a moment, and Jisung could sense that there might have been more he wanted to say. 

“I’m glad I decided to come here,” he said eventually. “I’m glad I got to meet the rest of you guys. You especially, Chan has told me a lot about you. He actually always said that he thought we’d get on.”

Jisung grinned, nodding. “You too. I was so jealous that Changbin got to meet you last year, but now it’s my turn. You and me, we both know all of Chan’s deepest darkest secrets, and I’d say that already makes us honorary best friends.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Felix agreed, lifting his glass to knock it against Jisung’s, the two boys laughing as they drank. 

They settled into a comfortable silence, Jisung’s fingers tapping lightly against the table in time to the music. Laughter erupted from the table beside them, and he recognised the first years from earlier with two girls and another boy, all of them still seeming relatively put together. That was good, he thought, at least it was one less thing for Seungmin to worry about. 

“Do you think Seungmin’s okay?” he asked, pulling his gaze from the group as he looked back at Felix, the other boy shrugging. 

“He did seem kind of tightly wound all day.”

“Mhm. We’ve got an essay due in, but I don’t think it’s that.”

Felix shot him a look and Jisung laughed. “Okay, no. I think we all know what it is, but something must have changed. I’ve never even met Jeongin, but… I don’t know. What are they like with one another?”

Felix pulled his lip between his teeth, thinking. “Coupley I guess. But not like there’s tension… not like they’re dancing around each other, you know? You and Seungmin are friends, right? So maybe he’d talk to you.”

Jisung wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know. He hates it when I bring it up.”

“Well, so would you if I mentioned your obvious crush on Minho, but at the same time you kinda want to talk about it, right?”

“I…” Jisung‘s eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

Rolling his eyes, Felix sighed, patting his shoulder. “Look at Hyunjin and Juyeon. That is what happens when you actually tell someone how you feel. Doesn’t that look nice?”

Jisung smiled as he watched the way Hyunjin and Juyeon moved together, considerably more coordinated than the people around them, their bodies flowing together easily. It was hard to make out their expressions in the low lighting, but Jisung could feel the heat like he was sandwiched between the two boys, his eyes dropping to where Hyunjin’s fingers dug into Juyeon’s hips. His breath hitched when Juyeon’s hips rolled and Jisung had to look away, rubbing at the back of his neck as he reached for his drink. The liquid was room temperature and useless, but it gave him something to do as he tried to look anywhere else. 

Felix’s hand had slipped from his shoulder and he heard him clear his throat, putting a little more distance between them. 

“Well, I’m not sure that was really the best example, but you get my point…”

Laughing, Jisung shook his head, glancing across at the other boy. “So... You’re Australian? That’s cool.”

Felix laughed, giving him a look at the change of subject, but let it go. He began to tell him about his own college back home and Jisung idly wondered where Minho was, if was still with Chan, or he was somewhere in the mass of bodies out there. He considered going to find out. It was what he had come here for after all, to make his move, but it was much easier to be confident about a hypothetical. 

He felt someone nudge his arm and looked up to see Felix playing with a soggy coaster beside him. He hadn’t noticed that the other boy had stopped talking and he now felt a little guilty for not really paying attention. 

“Looking for someone?” Felix asked with a smirk. 

Jisung looked away, keeping his face neutral. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“No?”

“Nope.”

“You should go and dance with him.”

Jisung shrugged. “I don’t even know where he is.”

“Oh, he’s over there dancing with Seungmin.” Felix nodded to the other side of the room to where Hyunjin had been and Jisung followed his gaze, immediately locking onto the boy in question.

It was a pretty different image to the two boys he had been watching before, Minho’s body moving just as fluidly to the music, but relaxed and easy, his head tipped back as he laughed at whatever Seungmin was doing. Chan was mostly supporting the younger boy as he cheered at the new song that had started playing and a smile spread over Jisung’s own face. While it was a little concerning how determined Seungmin had seemed to get drunk tonight, it was nice to see him so happy and free. The usually reserved boy was now bouncing up and down on the spot, letting Minho pull his arms into the air and Jisung wondered how long it would last before he crashed and one of them had to carry him home. 

“Come on” Felix ordered, tugging on his arm, making Jisung look back at him in alarm.

“What?!”

“I said come on. Come and dance with me.”

Jisung hesitated, Felix sending him the most heartbreaking puppy eyes possible as he eased him out of his seat. Before he really knew how he’d got there, he was walking across the room, slipping past people as Felix wormed his way towards the other boys. 

“Felix!” Seungmin greeted brightly, throwing his arms around the boy’s neck, effectively stealing Jisung’s dance partner. 

The music was so loud that Jisung could feel it thumping in his chest like a second heartbeat, the bodies around him less claustrophobic than he had expected. In fact, when combined with the lower lighting, they made him feel secluded and shielded from the eyes of the room, the boys around him in his little bubble with him. And honestly, the fact that Seungmin and Felix were currently doing what he recognised to be a full choreographed routine that he had seen on a music show in the break room and no one was paying them any mind, surely meant that nobody cared what the hell Jisung was doing. Almost nobody anyway. 

“You’re not moving,” Minho stated, alerting Jisung to the fact that he was still standing there completely frozen.

His brain urged him to do something, anything, but his feet seemed stuck to the ground. It wasn’t like he couldn’t dance, Jisung knew how to move, but his brain felt like sludge, the signals to his body struggling to make it through. Minho took a step towards him, his hands moving slowly enough that Jisung could back away if he wanted to, before finding his waist. With a gentle pressure, the other boy encouraged his hips to sway, a smile spreading over his face as Jisung took over, moving on his own. Minho was sure in his movements, one hand staying firmly on Jisung’s hip long after it was needed. 

“That’s better,” Minho complimented, smiling softly. Jisung was mostly reading his lips, the music too loud to have much of conversation without moving significantly closer. 

Instead of replying, Jisung let his movements become a little more pronounced. His arms moving easily in time with his hips. Minho’s hand hadn’t left his body, and Jisung took the opportunity to rest his own arm on Minho’s shoulder, the two of them swaying together. 

Something in Jisung wanted to let go, to let the music and the haze of bodies and fake smoke and the kaleidoscope of colours that flickered over the other boy’s face just take over, but something in Minho’s expression made him pause. His eyes were soft, a smile on his lips when he looked at Jisung and it was like something snapped. Jisung’s chest bloomed, confidence flowing through his body from who knows where and instead of smiling back, he smirked, moving closer. 

A flicker of surprise flashed over Minho’s features, and it was all the encouragement he needed. Someone knocked into his back, but Jisung didn’t care, taking the excuse to press closer, his own hands finding the front of Minho's chest. His mind flashed back to that day on the stairs, the feeling of hard muscle under his fingertips for just a moment before he pulled back again. His smile was still shy as Minho caught his elbow, but this time it held something more. Minho seemed to read it like a dare, guiding Jisung closer once again. His head tilted and Jisung’s tongue darted out to wet his lips, their heads hovering close as Minho rolled their bodies together. A shudder moved through him, and Jisung struggled to keep his eyes open. 

He could feel his control slipping, wanting to melt under the other boy, to just let him lead him away from all of these people and kiss him until he could no longer think. Then Minho gasped. His mouth had ended up near Jisung’s neck at some point, and he felt the hot breath against his skin. Someone had stepped on the other boy’s foot judging by the way he pulled his leg back, glazing down between them and when he looked back up, Jisung slipped a hand around his neck. 

Minho’s eyes were wide, his lips just slightly parted and Jisung liked it, he liked the feel of the damp hair on the back of the boy’s neck and the way he could see him swallow like he was just as affected by this. Like Jisung could take him apart just as easily as the other way around. The push and pull made every touch feel like sparks and possibility and Jisung wanted to soak in this feeling forever. 

His eyes closed, every part of his body that wasn’t touching the other boy feeling numb in comparison. And then, for a moment, Minho’s lips brushed his jaw, a little too close to where his pulse raced and they pressed impossibly closer. And then his body was cold, his eyes flying open again. Minho stared back, his face filling Jisung’s vision despite the extra space now between them. Their hands brushed and Minho’s finger hooked one of his before slipping away completely. 

“Water” he said, the word not making it over the music, but Jisung was staring hard enough at his lips to know what he had said. 

Looking up, Jisung noticed that the rest of their group had already disappeared and the sweat he could feel on his back made him wonder exactly how long they’d been out there. His entire world had reduced down to Minho, his touch, his smell, the feel of his breath, and that was more than a little worrying, especially when he remembered the fact that he hadn’t even been drinking tonight. 

Jisung nodded, letting the other boy lead him back to their table, the boy’s grip on his elbow the centre of his focus, almost whimpering once the contact stopped. 

Chan slid into the chair beside him, holding out a glass of water. His mouth was moving and it took Jisung a few moments to process the words. Changbin. Had he called?

He tore his eyes from where Minho was leaning against Seungmin’s chair, carding his fingers through the other’s boy’s soft hair for long enough to wrestle his phone out of his pocket and check the screen. 

“He messaged me,” he relayed, Chan nodding. 

“I told him where we are. Apparently some guy from his business class cornered him on the way in, roped him into a few drinks.”

Jisung smiled, taking a long drink, grateful that whoever had ordered the water had asked for ice as he let the liquid cool him down. His gaze returned to the boy across the table and Minho smiled back at him, glancing towards Seungmin with a pitying look where he was practically dozing in his chair. He mimicked the boy’s expression and Minho laughed, taking a seat and shuffling down far enough to comfortably let Seungmin rest his cheek on his shoulder. 

Felix reached across to brush his hair back from his forehead with a smile.“At least he hasn’t thrown up, he can’t have drank that much.”

Minho hummed, smiling down with a fond expression that Jisung was surprised to see directed at the other boy. “He’s just a lightweight.”

Chan laughed, stopping when he spotted someone from across the room, waving an arm in the air. 

“Finally!” Jisung called, jumping up to pull Changbin into a quick hug, the other boy groaning. 

“You’re all sweaty” he complained, pulling back.

“I danced” he boasted, wiggling his eyebrows and Changbin laughed in surprise. 

“He’s very good,” Minho confirmed, sending Jisung a wink and Jisung did his best not to blush. 

“Oh, we saw” Felix cut in, smirking. “He could join the dance team with those hips.”

Chan shook his head, patting Jisung’s shoulder. “I don't know if Minho could handle watching that every week.”

Minho looked over, raising his eyebrows like he couldn’t believe Chan had dared. “I have so much more dirt on you,” he warned and Chan shrugged. 

“As do I.”

Minho pouted, folding his arms and Jisung laughed. He was about to ask Changbin if he needed a drink when Felix interrupted him. 

“I uh… I’m going to go find Sunwoo. Make sure they’re all okay” he said, slipping out of the booth, his eyes meeting Changbin’s for an uncomfortable moment before he disappeared. 

“You knew he was here, right?” Chan asked, nudging Changbin to get the boy’s attention where he was still staring after Felix. 

“I.. Uh. Yeah. Jisung mentioned it the other day. I should go and say hi properly. It’s been a while, huh?”

Chan nodded, shrugging at Jisung’s confused expression. Changbin hooked his jacket over a chair before following after him. 

“Do they not get on?” Minho asked, looking to Jisung.

“Don’t ask me. I wasn’t even there.”

Chan frowned, still looking towards the direction the other boys had gone. “They did as far as I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the tobogganing story was originally part of this whole backstory that I cut out, but after the first few episodes of skzcode, I just had to find a way to slip that bit back in. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one is... long. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a small mention of a character with a gambling problem in this chapter. Also, fair warning, this is over 12k. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! :)

**\- Eight Months Earlier -**

As Changbin woke, it took him a few moments to realise where he was. His mouth was dry and his head ached, images of the previous night returning to him as he groaned. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he rubbed the heel of his palms into his eyes, perching on the edge of the mattress. 

The infamous Seo family Christmas party had been as grand as ever, the effects definitely making themselves known. He had managed, it seemed, to at least get changed into an old tshirt before collapsing into bed, but he still felt disgusting. Fingers brushed against his spine and he glanced down at the figure in the bed beside him. 

“Do you feel awful too?” Myunghee asked, a weak smile on her face. 

Changbin ran a hand through his hair as he looked back at her. He wasn’t sure how he’d manage these parties without her, without someone to whisper a sarcastic comment in his ear or share a look with across the room. 

“I don’t know why I let your cousins rope me into another round.”

Myunghee sighed, rolling onto her back. “You said that last year.”

“Anything to avoid talking business with my dad’s friends,” Changbin said, waving his hand. “We need to talk to them.”

Myunghee looked away, focussing her gaze on the ceiling. “I know.”

“We said once Christmas was over.”

“I know,” she repeated. “Tomorrow then?”

Changbin nodded, looking down at the floor, his arms resting on his knees. 

“And you don’t…”

“Myunghee,” Changbin interrupted. “We can’t.”

He heard her moving behind him, shuffling to sit up as the duvet tugged beneath him. Glancing over his shoulder, Changbin sighed. “Nothing will change.”

“It might,” Myunghee countered. “If we try. Last night was nice, right? Like old times.”

Changbin nodded, giving her a weak smile. “It was, but that doesn’t change the last few weeks. The constant bickering… the arguments. It’s too hard.”

“With the move… in a few weeks, we won’t be living together anymore. I’ll be at my new job. It could be the space we need.”

“We shouldn’t want space,” Changbin said gently. 

Myunghee’s body seemed to give in, her shoulders slumping and Changbin almost wanted to give in, to say one more go, but the cycle had to end somehow. Climbing back onto the bed, he reached for her hand, slotting their fingers together. 

“Our parents will understand and you’ll find someone who organises their socks the way you like.”

Myunghee rolled her eyes, looking up at him with a reluctant smile. “My parents will have me engaged to some slimy guy from their club by Easter. Your sock drawer is a mess, but at least you’re not boring.”

“And I’m devilishly handsome.”

Myunghee pushed his shoulder lightly, letting out a small laugh. “You wish.”

Smiling, Changbin wrapped an arm around her shoulders, resting his cheek on the top of her head. “I really don’t want to end up hating you.”

“I know.”

“And we drive each other crazy.”

“I know.”

“But I still love you.”

An arm slipped over Changbin’s stomach and he smiled, pressing his face into the girl’s hair. “Best friends,” she whispered. 

-

Despite the size and the slightly overwhelming starkness of the very white walls, Changbin had never minded his family home. He knew his parents had certain expectations of him, hopes for his future, but they had never been too pushy or forceful. Perhaps it was because he had always followed that path, never really pushing the boundaries, but his home life had been simple. His mother was kind and loving, and his father gave him as much attention as he could manage around his busy work life. Now that he was older, their relationship had only grown stronger, his father’s pride clear as he boasted about how well Changbin was doing managing the cafe alongside his studies. It was a nice feeling. 

The day had passed peacefully, his mother’s cooking, easy conversation and soft lighting leaving him completely content. Even with the looming conversation of the next day, he had allowed himself to relax, thoughts of the future and school and the cafe drifting away from him as his eyes began to droop. Myunghee had long ago fallen asleep on the sofa beside him, the rest of his family watching some romance movie that he’d long ago given up trying to follow. 

The crackling fire and numerous bodies left the room almost too warm and Changbin was about to give in to his sleepiness when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. Glancing up, his father gestured his head towards the door and quietly slipped from the room. With a small frown, Changbin untangled himself from beneath Myunghee and the young cousin that had decided to use his thigh as a cushion, heading into the hallway. 

It was considerably cooler once he was out of the room and Changbin pressed the back of his hand to his cheek, feeling how flushed he was. Pulling his hoodie over his head, he slung it over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. The hoodie was one of Chan’s that he had adopted as his own at some point, and Changbin thought that he should send a message to the other boy to wish him happy holidays. Jisung too, he mused, he knew the younger boy had gone to his Dad’s for the break and that was always tough for him. He had been messaging Changbin frequently over the last few days, random thoughts or song ideas, and that probably meant he needed the distraction. 

Jisung always took a while to coax back out of his shell after spending time at home, like there was a pool of anger and resentment that meant he had to shut himself down or let it explode. Changbin had seen the explosion once, and Jisung hadn’t been able to look at him for weeks afterwards, because when it came down to it, Jisung didn’t explode. He cracked and he crumbled and he completely broke apart, and Changbin never wanted to see the other boy like that again. 

This year, Chan had offered to have them both go with him on his trip home, but with Jisung’s Dad’s hopes for a family Christmas and Changbin’s own commitments, their futile plans of beaches and barbecues never became a reality. 

Pulling out his phone at the top of the stairs, Changbin sent a quick message to their group chat, seeing that Chan had already sent them a series of photos that he would look at later. Laughter echoed from downstairs as he pocketed his phone and paused to toss his hoodie into his bedroom. 

He assumed his father would be in his study, light filtering from the room, and Changbin was surprised as he pushed the door open to find the room empty. Papers were scattered across the desk, a laptop open in the centre of them and he knew he shouldn’t, but Changbin found himself casting a look down the hallway and easing the door shut behind him. 

It wasn’t like his father. The room, like the rest of their home, was usually pristine. Organised to an almost concerning degree, with his father lecturing him himself on the proper organisation of everything from his school work to the cafe. A memory came to him of his father at one of the original cafe locations, one he hadn’t visited since he was a child. He’d picked him up after school and let him choose whatever he had wanted from the menu, showing him each of the fancy coffee machines and what seemed to be towers of pastries and cakes and sandwiches in the kitchen. He had lifted him up onto the counter to even show him how the till worked, letting him push the buttons with his clumsy fingers. Changbin remembered clutching the receipt that he had printed for himself all the way home, brandishing it to his mother proudly as she scolded him for ruining his appetite before dinner. 

Picking up one of the sheets of paper, it took Changbin a moment to figure out what he was looking at. There were bank statements, several of them, going back the last few months in his father’s name, but the company too. He didn’t understand, the figures not making sense. His confusion grew as he sifted through the papers, the feeling slowly morphing into panic. 

“Changbin?”

His father’s voice made him jump, his head shooting up, a stack of papers quite incriminatingly clutched in his hand, but he didn’t care. Changbin couldn’t bring himself to feel embarrassed at being caught snooping when he was so horrified at what he had found. 

“What is this?” he breathed, holding out the papers, and for a moment he thought that maybe he had misunderstood, that his father would be able to explain it all and then scold him for being so nosy. But then something shifted. 

Changbin, wet his lips, taking a moment to try and calm himself as he met the man’s gaze. He looked ashamed, he realised. His expression like he was the one who had been caught out, not the other way around. And he had, Changbin realised as understanding settled inside him. 

“Dad… What have you done?”

The two men stared at one another, before something changed in the older’s gaze, Changbin’s father morphing back into his usual self as he marched across the room. 

“It’s nothing,” he said, taking the paper’s from Changbin’s grip and tossing them back on the desk. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about? We’re broke,” Changbin shot back. 

His father turned away, his shoulders rising and falling as he took a deep breath. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” he murmured. “I have it under control.”

“Dad, it’s not…”

“I’m just moving some things around,” he cut in, turning back to face his son, reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“Bullshit.”

His fathers eyes widened a little as Changbin shook off his hand. 

“Son…”

“No. This is my future too and it’s our home and… fuck. Where are you even getting the money for school?”

Changbin watched as he father pulled back the desk chair and sank into it, wiping a hand down his cheek. “That’s all in your name. I set that aside for you a long time ago. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t touch that.”

Realisation settled inside him and Changbin had to look away. He didn’t want to see his father like that, not again. Not the regret, or worse the shame in his eyes. Looking up at the ceiling Changbin took a steadying breath, a strange calm settling over him. 

“What are you going to do?”

His father looked up, running a hand through his hair and Changbin noticed the way the grey had crawled along his hairline. 

“I have investors,” he said, sitting forward and shuffling through the papers on the desk until he found a brown folder. “There’s a few interested, but, well I was talking with Mr Lee at the party last night and he’s keen to get involved. It would be more than enough to tide us over. We’re still making a good profit and with the new location… it could save us.”

Changbin looked down at the folder, not even bothering to open it. He didn’t care what was inside. What grand plan, or lengthy contract. His father was a good businessman, that was a fact and it was something he could trust. If he said this would work, then it would. 

He ran a finger along the front of the folder before placing it back on the desk gently. 

“Mr Lee?” Changbin clarified. “As in…”

“As in Myunghee’s father,” his father confirmed, smiling. “Really, you’re the one saving us here. Her father is pleased that you make her happy, he thinks it’s a good match. It’s an investment in your futures.”

Changbin turned to lean back against the side of the desk, his fingers holding onto the wood behind him. “Right, our futures.”

He felt something brush his hand and glanced down, his fathers hand laying gently over his own. Changbin knew that he wouldn’t say sorry, it wasn’t in his nature and he was more than vulnerable enough already, but the look in his eyes held an apology as much as they pleaded with him. “We’re going to be okay.”

Changbin looked away, focussing on a spot on the carpet. 

“I want access,” he said finally. 

“What?”

“To the accounts… to the business. To your emails. Whatever it takes.”

“Changbin…” his father urged, his hand sliding away. “I’ve stopped. I’m getting help.” 

“No. I won’t risk it. If this is what has to happen to make sure that you don’t gamble away everything we have, then I will do it, but I won’t let them walk into this just to have you drag them down too. She doesn’t deserve that, and I know you don’t want the embarrassment.”

It was a low blow, he knew, but it was true. Changbin wouldn’t let him put someone else at risk to save their backs and cover his own mistakes, and if Changbin was going to make his own sacrifices, then it had better we’ll be worth it. 

His father pursed his lips, giving a curt nod. “Okay.”

“Does Mum know?”

“Somewhat. Not… Everything. Not how bad.” 

Changbin pushed off the desk, the adrenaline of the moment making him feel a little dizzy as he moved towards the door. 

“Changbin,” his father called, and he paused but didn’t look back. “I’m proud to call you my son. I… I hope that one day you can be proud to call me your father again.”

Without another word, Changbin tugged the door open, walking as calmly as he could down the hall to his bedroom. The words were sincere, he knew, and his father wasn’t a bad man, but he couldn’t help the thought that crossed his mind as he sank onto his bed, the image of all those papers spread over his desk, of his father with a gentle hand on his back, keeping him by his side as they had talked with Myunghee’s parents the night before, or his promotion a few weeks earlier. Was it all just manipulation? 

Changbin pushed his hands into his hair, clutching the strands beneath his fingers. _So proud. A good son. One more try. A good match._

Reaching into his jeans he pulled his phone from his pocket, first going to his messages. He spotted Myunghee’s phone charging in the corner of the room and hoped that he would be long gone before she came looking for him. 

_Sorry to disappear_ , he typed. _Need to think some things through. Can we talk after the holidays?_

Next, he scrolled through his contacts, selecting his friend’s name a little too forcefully as he brought his phone to his ear. 

“Binnie! What’s up?”

“Hey, Chan. Sorry to call you… well, on Christmas, but I don’t suppose that offer to visit still stands?”

-

When Chan had offered to let him stay with his family, Changbin’s first instinct was to politely decline and insist on paying for a hotel room nearby. With the memory of those harsh black numbers flashing in his mind, however, he had swallowed his pride and agreed, thanking Chan for his generosity. 

What he hadn’t realised was that Chan was not actually staying at home, but in a house his family had rented for the holidays. It was nice, located on a sort of complex near the beach, with several carbon copies of the same building dotted nearby. It was starting to come back to him that Chan had mentioned that this was something his family did each year, especially with the number of people who had greeted the boy between meeting Changbin from his taxi and reaching the house. 

Changbin had flashed him a look, as Chan waved to yet another middle aged lady, flashing her a winning smile like he was some kind of a prince on his royal tour, but the other boy had only rolled his eyes, tugging him along. 

“When you decide to tell me why you flew all this way at the drop of a hat, then you can judge,” he argued and Changbin had to give him that. 

The place was bustling. Children appeared from who knows where, some screaming, some laughing, most with frazzled looking parents just trying to keep up. One boy stood with dripping water from his swimming trunks as he ripped the packaging off an ice cream, a lady trying to rub lotion into his face as he squirmed out of the way in displeasure. 

“Changbin!” 

The woman’s face broke into a smile as she stood up, waving at the boys. Changbin recognised her as Chan’s mother, they had met once before when Chan’s parents had visited the previous summer, but he was still surprised as she pulled him into a hug. 

“It’s good to see you,” she said, her words sincere as she held his arms. “Look at you. So handsome.”

“Mum…” Chan warned. 

“What? He is. He clearly looks after himself unlike some people. Changbin, have you seen the circles under my son’s eyes? I’d like to know what he stays up so late doing.”

“Mum!” Chan’s ears turned red as he looked at her in alarm, his mother simply giving him a pointed look in return. 

“Don’t worry, Mrs Bang” Changbin said, attempting to rescue his friend. “He's just working really hard on his studies and at the cafe. I’d give him a raise if it were up to me.”

“That’s what worries me,” Chan’s mother replied, reaching over to pat her son’s cheek as he grimaced. “I’m proud, of course I am, but please try to have some fun.”

Changbin smirked, looking down to stop from laughing as Chan eased his mother’s hands from his cheeks. 

“I’ll do my best. You best be getting back to… Whatever you’re doing.”

“Well, we came back to get some sunscreen and apparently an ice cream, but we best be finding this guy’s parents.”

The small boy frowned as his hair was ruffled, quickly returning his attention to his ice cream. 

“You’ll be okay getting him settled in, won’t you?” she asked. “You’ll have to share, I’m afraid.”

Chan nodded, patting Changbin on the back. “We’ll be fine. It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, of course,” Changbin agreed, shifting his backpack higher on his shoulder. “Thank you for having me, Mrs Bang. I know this is kind of short notice…”

Chan’s mother waved a hand. “It’s no trouble at all, you’re welcome anytime. You go and get settled in and I’ll see you for dinner when hopefully things will have calmed down. Unless… of course, if you boys had plans…”

“No, Mum. We’ll come to dinner,” Chan replied, shaking his head fondly. 

“Okay okay. Whatever you want to do. It’s cool.”

“Cool.” Chan echoed, looking embarrassed as he reached for the handle of Changbin’s suitcase. “Thanks, Mum. We’ll see you later.”

Changbin hurried after him, sending Chan’s mother an apologetic smile. She didn’t seem to mind, laughing and raising her hand to wave them off. “Let me know if you need anything!”

“I like your Mum,” Changbin commented, taking his suitcase back from the other boy to wheel it down the pavement. 

“So do I, but I’ve only been back a week and I think me being here is still something of a novelty.”

Changbin laughed. “It’s sweet. When I got home, my Mum immediately asked me to start peeling garlic.”

Chan hummed in agreement, a smile pulling at his lips and Changbin noticed that he looked a little different. He was wearing an oversized white tank top that flashed the sides of his chest and a pair of black shorts, his hair fluffy in its natural curls. It was something he would wear at home too, on a lazy day, or how he might look first thing in the morning, but it somehow made more sense here. The other boy already had a bit of a tan, and his entire demeanour seemed looser, his eyes crinkling as he glanced across at him. 

“What?”

“Nothing,” Changbin replied, smiling back. “You just seem happy.”

Chan rolled his eyes, nodding towards the house they were approaching. “Here we are.”

The house was bigger than he had expected, set on low stilts, with steps up to a wooden porch that held some simple garden furniture and what looked like a body board and a set of beach chairs. 

“We’ve gotten to know most of the families that come here over the years,” Chan explained, as Changbin lifted his suitcase up the steps and Chan led them inside. “This is the living room and kitchen. My parents keep themselves pretty busy, so it’s usually pretty quiet in here, unless they’re entertaining.”

Changbin nodded, looking around the large open room. A counter sectioned off one corner into the kitchen, while the rest of the room held two large couches, a variety of beach equipment in one corner and a tv. 

“The parents are to the left and we are over here along with the bathroom. There’s only one, sorry.”

Changbin followed Chan down the short hallway, with a shrug. “I roomed with seven other boys last year, I think I’ll manage.”

Their room was simple, with a bed, a small dresser, and what Changbin assumed was Chan’s suitcase open in the corner, clothes spilling out. A mattress had been set up on the floor and Changbin hurried to toss his backpack onto it, claiming the bed as his own.

“Bin…” Chan started and Changbin narrowed his eyes. 

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed.”

Chan sighed, but let it go. “I don’t really unpack, so feel free to use the drawers.”

“Yeah… all of the stuff I have was for my trip home, so it’s not entirely climate appropriate,” Changbin explained, laying his suitcase flat. 

“Lucky for you, Chan packs enough for three people,” a voice cut in. 

Changbin looked up to see a boy peering around the doorway with a cheeky grin. He had the brightest smile Changbin had ever seen, his short blonde hair softly ruffled and still a little damp, a towel around his neck. He was dressed similarly to Chan, wearing a large white t shirt and blue shorts. 

“Yeah, yeah, like you don’t steal half my stuff anyway,” Chan shot back. 

The boy ducked his head, laughing. “We both know I can’t do that anymore, mr six pack… or is it seven now?”

“Hey. Felix, by the way,” the boy added, holding out his hand. Changbin took it, smiling back as he quickly shook the boy’s hand. 

“Changbin,” he replied. “It’s good to finally meet you.”

“You too. Chan has told me so much about you. Sorry, if my Korean is a bit… I don’t use it very often...” Felix apologised, fiddling with the edge of his towel. 

Changbin shook his head quickly. “I’m sure it’s much better than my English,” he said, trying to reassure the other boy. His words were tentative, but he had spoken perfectly well. 

Felix seemed to relax a little, nodding. “It’s kind of weird speaking it with Chan, but it’s good practice.”

“It’s a little weird,” Chan agreed, “but you’re a lot better than you think, Lix. Besides, you’ve got to get used to it if you ever actually plan on visiting me.”

Felix stuck out his tongue. 

“Charming” Chan replied, shaking his head. “Did you need something anyway?”

“Oh no, I just came to be nosy. I heard Changbin was here and figured it was about time I replaced you. This place is a mess by the way.”

Chan frowned, kicking his suitcase closed. “It’s way better than when we used to share.”

“Yeah, Chan. You’re so tidy back home, what’s going on?” Changbin teased, encouraged all the more by the way Felix grinned at his support. 

“I’ve been busy” Chan huffed, straightening his sheets. “Don’t you two start ganging up on me, or I’m sending you home.”

Changbin held up his hands defensively. “I said you’re usually tidy, that’s a compliment.”

Chan hummed, looking unconvinced as his eyes flicked between the two of them. The older boy turned to stuff more of his clothes back into the suitcase and Felix grinned as he hopped onto Chan’s bed, his eyes meeting Changbin’s with a glint of mischief. 

“He’s making you sleep on the floor too, huh?” Felix mused, Chan’s head shooting up. 

“No, I… he… oh, shut up.” Chan huffed as Felix started to laugh, his head tipping back. 

“Wow. You’re way too easy. Imagine someone suggesting that you don’t have good manners… the horror!” 

Chan dived forward, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy, squeezing him tightly. “Oh Felix, you are so cute. Just lovely,” he cooed, rubbing his cheek against the boy’s shoulder. 

Felix shrugged, unbothered. “Please… This is not going to work on me. I will out cuddle you any day of the week.”

Chan pouted, relaxing his body so that Felix toppled to the side under the weight. “It works on Jisung,” he whined. 

“He hasn’t had to put up with you for the last ten years,” Felix countered, twisting to wrap his own arms around Chan, pinning the boys arms down and grinning as he cuddled into his back. 

Chan groaned. “It’s too hot.”

“You shouldn’t challenge me, if you can’t handle it,” Felix said, but released his hold a little. 

Changbin laughed as he watched the two boys. “I just came from a completely different season. It’s definitely too hot.”

Chan laughed, sitting up. “Do you think we have time for a swim before dinner?”

-

In the end they forwent the swim, settling for a walk down to the beach and back so that Changbin could see what it was like. It was quite breathtaking, and if he wasn’t so tired, he might have suggested sitting for a while and watching the waves. However, his exhaustion was beginning to settle in, having only slept for a few hours on the plane and the beach would still be there tomorrow. 

Felix had stayed for dinner, his parents and two other families with their children joining them too. With so many people, Chan’s mother had ushered them all outside, sitting haphazardly on the patio seating, beach chairs, or just the ground. With the chatter mostly in English, Changbin did his best to keep up, Chan whispering quick translations into his ear whenever a question was directed at him, but by the time they had helped to clear up, he was more than ready for bed. 

They settled into a routine after that, the three boys meeting to trudge their stuff down to the beach each morning where they lay or swam, or one one occasion tossed a ball back and forth. That afternoon had ended up with a fairly competitive beach volleyball tournament involving several of the nearby teenagers, and a few parents. 

It was that evening that Chan had found him long after everyone had gone to bed, perched on the steps outside. It was still fairly warm, Changbin more than comfortable still in a pair of shorts he had borrowed from Chan and a tshirt as he stared up at the sky. It was so clear, stars piercing through the blackness like he had never seen before. They continued in every direction, some brighter than others, but each one making Changbin feel impossibly small in comparison. 

It helped a little to remember that all his own worries were so insignificant in comparison to the vastness of the universe, but it was kind of dejecting too. Before his mind could spiral any deeper, he turned to look at the other boy who had sat down silently beside him. 

Chan gave him a gentle smile, leaning back on his hands. “It’s pretty, right?”

Changbin nodded, glancing back up the sky. “Do you miss it?”

“Sometimes,” Chan said. His eyebrows furrowed and Changbin watched as he cocked his head. “It’s home, but I don’t know… I think it’s the memories and the people that I miss more.”

“Do you think you’ll come back? After graduation.”

“I have no idea,” Chan said with a small laugh. “Why do you think I’m doing an extra year? I’m just… putting it all off. The decisions. Having to go out there and… be. I’ve bought myself another year, but after that? Who knows.”

“The opportunities might be better in Korea. For your music, I mean. You already have some connections from school.”

Chan turned his head to look at him. “Scared you’ll miss me?”

Changbin scoffed, resting his arms on his knees. “No way. I just want the royalties from all those songs I’ve helped you write.”

Smiling, Chan sat forward, wrapping an arm around Changbin’s shoulders. “Because I’d miss you. And Jisung. Maybe even Minho.”

“Oh god, if you leave, please take at least one of them with you.”

Laughing, Chan rested his head on Changbin’s shoulder, the other boy laying his own on top. They say for a moment, sounds of laughter and music somewhere in the distance. 

“My Dad started gambling again.”

Chan gently lifted his head, forcing Changbin to sit up too. “I’m sorry.”

Changbin shrugged, staring down at his hands with a weak smile. “He says he’s stopped, but… I don’t know.”

“Is it bad?”

“Not as bad as before, I don’t think.” Changbin said. “He’s got help on his own and he has this plan… some investment or something to help the business, but…”

Chan reached over to take Changbin’s hand in his own. “It’s not your responsibility, you know. You don’t have to fix it.”

“Don’t I?” Changbin looked up, his eyes shining. “Because it’s my family. Our home, my… my Mum. My future.”

Reaching up, Chan slid his hand around the boy’s neck, pulling his head into his chest and hugging him close. 

“I just needed to get away,” Changbin whispered. 

Chan held him tighter, Changbin squeezing his eyes closed and taking a shuddery breath as Chan moved his hand to run his fingers through his hair. 

“You can fire me, if you want.”

Lifting his head with a watery smile, Changbin shook his head. “I’d definitely fire Jisung first.”

Laughing, Chan reached out and pushed the boy’s hair back, his fingers moving down to gently wipe his thumb beneath Changbin’s eye. “I heard the convenience store down the street is hiring.”

“And leave him listening to Mr Yoo and his guitar all day? Even I’m not that cruel.”

“I guess you’re stuck with him then.”

“Guess so,” Changbin agreed with a sigh. “Really though, it’s not that bad, I promise. Just with school and then being at home, worrying about Ji and… and Myunghee. It all just got too much.”

Chan nodded. “Things are still rough with the two of you? You’re not wearing your ring.”

“They’re not great,” Changbin admitted. “We kind of ended things before Christmas, and it felt good. That’s… wow, that’s awful isn’t it? That I wasn’t even sad after all this time, but then… I- It’s all such a mess. I left this note and now it’s open and maybe we’ll get back together? I don’t know.”

Changbin looked down at his hands, rubbing over the bare spot on his finger. He had pushed his ring into one of the pockets of his backpack pack on the plane ride, but he wasn’t really sure why he’d taken it off. Perhaps it was because he and Myunghee had bought them together a few years ago and wanted to avoid all reminders of what he still faced back home, or maybe he was hoping the universe might send him some great signal. Honestly, at this point, he wasn’t sure if getting a soulmate would solve his problems or just make them all more complicated. 

“Why? Changbin, if you’re not happy…”

“No,” Changbin cut him off. “I am. And I love her, I do. It’s probably just because it’s been so long. Couples fight, the spark fades a little… it can’t stay that exciting forever.”

Chan looked a little skeptical, but kept his thoughts to himself. “Just take your time,” he said instead. “If you take a break, or break up, or get back together… None of those decisions have to be forever, right? Just do what feels right in your heart.”

Changbin looked away, nibbling on the side of his cheek and when Chan reached out again, he let himself be pulled into the boy’s side, resting his head against his chest as he watched the way the light breeze blew grains of sand from the cracks in the steps. 

-

“There is no way he is going to wake up at 7am” Chan scoffed, his eyes focused on his phone. 

Changbin pouted, folding his arms. “Why not?”

“Well, because it’s already 2am now and every time you have to be at work for the 6am delivery, you’re in a terrible mood for the rest of the day. You are not a morning person.”

“I believe in you,” Felix vouched, smiling kindly. 

“Thank you, _Felix_ ,” Changbin huffed. “Besides, there’s a difference between making other people coffee at 7am and someone else cooking me breakfast.”

Chan shrugged, glancing up from his phone. “I’m just warning Felix that you will be moody.”

“I’ve never been moody in my life.”

Chan quirked an eyebrow, eyes running over Changbin’s folded arms, the way he sat with his legs out like a toddler and his little pout. “No, you’re right.”

Felix bit back a smile, leaning up on his elbows where he lay on the mattress on the floor of their room. “You’re going surfing, I only offered to take him to breakfast so he wouldn’t be stuck on his own all morning.”

“Can we not make this sound like you’re taking me out of pity? Also does _taking_ mean that you’ll be paying?”

“Taking sounds more like a date to me. I can’t believe you guys are going on a date without me,” Chan muttered. 

Felix rolled his eyes. “I go every morning, either of you are welcome to come whenever you like. But yes, if it will get you out of bed, I will pay for breakfast tomorrow.”

Changbin hummed happily, clapping his hands. “Okay! I can do it.”

“Here,” Felix said, reaching out. “Give me your phone.”

Changbin raised an eyebrow but handed his phone over, crawling over to watch what the other boy was doing. “6:30?!” 

“Yes,” Felix said, setting his alarm. “You’re going to need to shower before we go. And by 7:30, all the tables are gone and I don’t want to queue when it starts getting hot.”

Changbin wrinkled his nose. “This place better be worth it.”

Felix sent him a look, deadly serious. “Oh. It will be.”

“Okay, but can’t we use a different alarm sound. I hate that one.”

“How can you hate it? It’s happy.”

“It’s annoying,” Changbin argued. 

“I like it.” Felix looked up at him, his eyes wide, their faces closer than Changbin had realised. He could see every freckle on the boy’s face. Even the pale ones over the bridge of his nose. 

“Fine,” he conceded, something warm settling inside him at the happy little sound Felix made. 

It turns out that Felix was right, the small cafe was bustling even at 7:15am, as Felix bobbed alongside him, far too energetic for the time of day. 

“C’mon” he encouraged, tugging Changbin towards one of the few remaining tables. 

It was bright inside, with windows on all sides. Simply decorated, but cool. Each table had a small potted plant, with mismatched wooden chairs and lights strung across the ceiling, that he assumed would be turned on once it got dark. 

“It’s 9am in Korea, how are you so tired?” Felix complained, offering him a menu. 

“I…” Changbin, paused looking at the other boy incredulously. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

Felix shrugged, smirking. “Can’t argue with facts.”

“No. No, I don’t think that’s…” he started, but a waitress had appeared at their table, Felix smiling brightly as he looked up and ordered himself a drink. 

Changbin mentally prepared himself to ask for his own drink, rehearsing the words in his head, but Felix carried on, listing several things from the menu and nodding at the girl’s questions. He thanked her and eased Changbin’s menu from his hands to pass them to the waitress, who tucked her pad into her apron and left. 

“How much food did you just order?” Changbin asked, his eyes wide. 

“Some… I wanted you to try all the good stuff.”

Changbin shook his head, smiling. Felix was ridiculous, but also really quite endearing. “I can’t let you pay for all that.”

“Of course you can. I said this was my treat,” he countered, resting his hands on the table with a decisive smile. 

“You do know we have breakfast in Korea… I work at a cafe.”

Felix rolled his eyes, sighing. “I’m not stupid, Seo Changbin. I do speak to Chan. And you _work_ at a cafe? Do you not _own_ a cafe? Or several from what I hear.”

Felix narrowed his eyes, leaning forward, making Changbin laugh. “No, actually I don’t.”

“You don’t?”

“No… Technically, my Dad owns the cafes. I’m just a regional manager.”

Changbin smiled smugly, Felix giggling as he shook his head. “You’re an idiot.”

Eyebrows raised, Changbin looked back in surprise. “You’re…”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

Felix laughed brightly, moving the little plant on the table to the side as the waitress returned with their drinks. Changbin thanked her, stirring his straw around the liquid. 

“Juice?” he asked. 

Felix nodded, taking a sip from his own glass. “Freshly squeezed. So… this cafe of yours. Do you have pancakes?”

“No?”

Felix hummed conclusively. “Sounds subpar to me.”

“We’re really more of a coffee shop… sandwiches, cakes… anything that doesn’t require any talent in the kitchen.”

“So you own a cafe, but you can’t cook. Interesting…”

Changbin sat up straighter, ready to defend his admittedly limited skills in the kitchen, but Felix was already giggling, a glint in his eye. 

“I saw how you _helped_ with dinner last night,” Changbin argued instead, making air quotes around the word. 

“Hey!” Felix gasped, his joyful expression falling. “I’m a good cook! We can leave right now and I’ll make breakfast myself.”

Laughing, Changbin reached to touch his arm across the table. “Okay, okay… I take it back. The chicken was fantastic.”

Felix grinned cheekily, wriggling in his seat at the compliment, and Changbin felt the urge to reach over and pinch his cheek, which was… odd. He watched the other boy for a moment, Felix still smiling contently from the compliment as he adjusted his cutlery on the table, until Felix glanced back up, meeting his eye. Curiosity flickered over the boy’s face, making Changbin wonder what exactly he looked like to make him look back at him that way. 

“What?” Felix asked, his curiosity shifting to concern as he reached up to his own cheek. “Do I have something on my face?”

Changbin smiled. “No. You’re good.”

Looking a little confused, Felix smiled back at him and Changbin had to look away, biting his lip to try and keep his grin somewhat under control. 

Luckily, their food arrived and Felix became far too preoccupied with explaining the various dishes to him, as he excitedly cut a sandwich in half. He hadn’t actually ordered as much as Changbin had initially thought, and between the two of them they managed to clear almost all four plates, Changbin groaning loudly as he slumped back in his chair. 

“I can’t move.”

Felix watched him in amusement, sipping on his drink. “I told you not to finish the pancakes.”

Changbin shook his head violently, sporting a pout. “Had to. They were too delicious. Would have regretted it.”

“And you’re not regretting how you feel right now?” 

“Nope. I just need a nap and I’ll be fine.”

Felix’s face brightened. “Does that mean you’ll come again tomorrow?” he asked hopefully. 

Changbin looked a little uneasy, shuffling to sit up. “Can I just order one thing?”

“Yes,” Felix said with a laugh. 

“Okay.”

“Good, because I set your alarm for every day this week.”

And so, Changbin developed something of a routine. Waking up to his overly cheery alarm, he would rouse Chan so that he could meet his Dad to go surfing and then meet a sleepy Felix outside for their walk to the cafe. Their breakfasts became longer, although with significantly less food ordered. And on some days, they forwent it altogether, walking straight passed the cafe doors and continuing down the quiet street. On those days, they grabbed a coffee from a small takeout stand and strolled along the beach, stopping to watch Chan in the distance for a while and gaining particular enjoyment whenever a wave knocked him into the ocean. 

During his afternoons, Felix disappeared on trips with his parents, or ended up being seized by whatever children were nearby who all found the blonde boy to be their new favourite playmate. Changbin had managed to escape being roped into their games, he and Chan setting up camp on a few towels and either talking, sleeping or sometimes working on a few songs. Some days Changbin even read a few chapters of a book that he had taken on every trip with him for the last two years, and never got more than twenty pages into. 

As the days passed, they seemed to grow longer. Their evenings stretched later and more and more people were about in the early mornings as everyone else seemed just as desperate to soak up every last moment of the break before normal life resumed.

Before Changbin knew it, it was his final night. He had picked up most of his things so that he could enjoy his last day, his flight home not until the next evening. Chan’s family would be driving home and Chan was going to stay over the weekend before he flew back in time for classes. Changbin knew he would have to stop off at home himself before returning to campus, even just to collect the rest of his things, but the decisions that loomed there, not to mention the likely questions about his abrupt disappearance made him want to skip his flight and hide out here for the foreseeable future. 

When Felix found him, he was sitting on the rocks a little way down the beach. He’d watched as the boy slowly made his way towards him, the smell of the barbecue they’d had still lingering in the air, and the light from the bonfire surrounding him in an orange glow. 

Changbin smiled as he reached him, Felix taking a seat by his side. “What are you doing over here?” he asked. 

Changbin looked down the beach towards the group who were laughing and talking, several children running around despite the late hour. He was close enough to tell which was Chan, sat in one of the deck chairs talking to his mum. 

“I thought I’d give him some space,” he said. “Some family time before he has to leave again.”

Felix hummed, shuffling his bare feet so that they buried into the sand. They stayed quiet for a moment, the waves lazily lapping in and out as though they were slowly inching closer, crawling their way up the beach so slowly that it would be impossible to tell. Until it was too late and you were stuck. Chan had mentioned that happening once. He remembered the story of him and some kid sneaking down the beach to make out and having to clamber over the rocks back onto the sand when the tide had crept in without them noticing. 

He smiled to himself at the thought, Felix watching him. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Changbin replied. “Just… stuff.”

Felix nodded, looking out towards the water. “Stuff.”

Changbin laughed, glancing across at him, the two of them laughing when their eyes met. 

“Sometimes it helps to talk, you know. When you’re thinking about… stuff.”

Felix was sincere, despite the small smirk on his lips, Changbin knew that he genuinely wanted to listen, and for a moment he considered telling him all the things that were playing on his mind. It could be good to gain an outsider's perspective after all. He’d considered talking to Chan again, explaining properly, but he already knew exactly what the other boy would tell him. Chan would tell him to do what made him happy, to follow his heart or something equally as cheesy, and while that was sound advice on the surface, it wasn’t exactly realistic. 

If this was a stranger, a match set up by his parents purely for business, the choice would be clear. They would find another way. But Changbin knew that they would never ask that of him. As far as his father knew, this was simple. Changbin was in love and magically, it also helped save their business. Wonderful. Simple. And he was in love, wasn’t he? Even when it had been hard, when their relationship had turned to resentment and irritation, he had never stopped loving Myunghee. She was one of his closest friends. 

So, what was worse? To try again, like she wanted, like she had suggested, even if his reasons were questionable. Or be selfish and throw away all they’ve built, casting his family into financial ruin in the process. He wasn’t sure he was ready to let go, even before he had seen those papers. But then again, that wasn’t all that had changed, because over the last two weeks he hadn’t had to think about business or school or family or the future and he had felt lighter than he had in years. 

And then when he had been in the shower the night before, and he realised how long it had been, a familiar feeling curling in his stomach and his hand had slid down his chest, it had been a different face that had flashed into his mind. As he pressed his forehead against the cool tiles and bit back a moan, his mind filled with bright eyes and freckles and the smell of the ocean. 

His ears flushing at the memory, Changbin noticed that Felix was still watching him patiently. “Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked suddenly, standing up and brushing the sand from his shorts. 

Felix looked up in surprise. “O-okay.”

And so they walked in silence along the beach until the sounds of everyone else faded to quiet and the faint smell of smoke became the only reminder that there were people nearby at all. 

There were lights up ahead as the beach slowly curved around. They must have been approaching the public section of the beach where they’d come a few days earlier to shop. Changbin had picked up a hat and a magnet for Jisung, already preparing himself for the pouting he’d receive having come on the trip without him. 

Felix made a small noise drawing his attention. “What?”

“The climbing frame… down there. That’s where Chan and I first met,” he said. 

“You met here?”

“Where did you think we met?”

Changbin shrugged. “School or something. I don’t know. I just assumed.”

“Chan is three years older than me.” Felix laughed. “No, our families have both been coming here since we were kids. I remember, I was eight and this kid had challenged me to see who could climb the highest. I was good, I was strong and quick and I almost got right to the top and he pushed me off.”

Changbin raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah,” Felix said. “It hurt too. I mean… I fell on sand and it’s not that high, but still… Chan marched right over and told him off. The kid told everyone else that I was cheating, so Chan made us race again while he watched.”

Changbin laughed. “Sounds like Chan. I hope you beat him.”

“Of course,” Felix boasted. “He didn’t even get halfway.”

They had reached the climbing frame by now and Changbin reached out, touching one of the ropes that made up the triangular frame. “Do you think you could still do it?”

His gaze flicked to the other boy, their eyes meeting for a moment before Felix grinned, glancing up then back at Changbin. “Race you?”

Changbin didn’t even get the chance to reply before Felix set off. He was still fast, and with his significantly longer limbs, Felix could reach up several layers at a time. But Changbin was strong, he worked out and it wasn’t too difficult to pull himself up. 

It was when Felix moved in front of him, sand falling from his feet from above and into Changbin’s face that things fell apart. His eyes closed instinctively, the hand that had been reaching up for the next rope finding Felix’s ankle instead, sending them both tumbling. 

Granted, it was a children’s climbing frame, but one of Changbin’s legs had caught on a rope, burning along his bare leg as he slipped, the rope digging into his thigh. He winced as he finally fell to the ground, the sound of Felix’s surprised scream still echoing in his ears. 

When he looked up, the other boy was still halfway up, sat with one of the ropes between his legs and Changbin really hoped he hadn’t fallen into that position. Judging by the amused expression on his face, he wasn’t in too much pain. 

“You alright down there?”

Changbin waved a hand weakly, groaning and let his head fall back into the sand. A soft thud sounded from beside him and then Felix was laying beside him, a smile on his face. 

“Do I win?”

“Mhm. I let you.” Changbin stretched out his legs, his head turned to the side. 

“I guess that’s what happens when you get old.”

Changbin scoffed, looking back up at the sky. “I thought you were supposed to respect your elders.”

Felix hummed in agreement, shifting a little. They stayed quiet for a moment, the sound of the water still lapping in the distance. 

“Are your parents connected?” Changbin asked, breaking the silence. 

Felix didn’t respond for a moment, still staring at the sky. “No. They used to get the implant for a while once it became available, I… I don’t know if they still do.”

Changbin looked over at him, then back up again. “Mine aren’t either. It’s kind of weird that they’ll be the last generation. That that won’t be normal.”

“Did either of your parents ever connect?”

Changbin let out a small laugh. “My Dad never had it. The hum… it’s super rare apparently, but it never happened to him, and my Mum just doesn’t talk about it. I don’t think she would ever divorce my Dad, like it’s not even a possibility in her mind.”

“I don’t think mine would either… neither of them. They both say that they never connected, but…”

Felix trailed off and Changbin looked over at him, watching as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. 

“But, what?”

“I think my Dad lies,” he said after a moment. “I guess not technically. I noticed it a while ago, whenever it was brought up that he doesn’t say _I never connected_ , it’s always _there was never anybody else_. And then my Mum will look at him like… I don’t know. Maybe I’m reading into it.”

“Like he chose her anyway?” Changbin asked. 

Felix nodded, his eyebrows furrowing. “But he never seems to resent it, or wonder what could have been. I don’t know how he does it.”

Changbin didn’t know what to say, looking up again and letting the silence sit for a moment. “Sometimes what you have is enough,” he said after a while. “So long as you don’t know what the other possibilities are.”

He felt Felix’s finger brush his, and Changbin inched his pinky further out, hooking it around the other boy’s silently, letting their hands lay connected between them. 

“Chan’s are,” Felix said. 

“Hmm?”

“Connected. His parents.”

“Oh,” Changbin said. “I think he mentioned it at some point. They were already married, right? When it started.”

“Yeah. They already found each other,” Felix said, sounding a little wistful. His finger curled tighter around Changbin’s and then he stood up, brushing sand off himself and offering out his hand. 

“Where are we going now?” Changbin asked, letting the other boy pull him up. 

“Who knows,” he replied, shrugging as he backed away. 

Felix headed up the sand, towards a set of steps up to the path, Changbin having to jog to catch him up.

“Everywhere is going to be closed.”

“So? We’ve walked the length of the beach, so it’s either here or we go for an evening swim, and I don’t have any swimming trunks, so...”

He turned back to look at Changbin with a smirk, Changbin’s face flushing. 

“Okay. Up here it is,” he agreed, climbing the steps. 

It felt a little weird walking on the hard pavement, especially as neither of them had any shoes on, but the floor was smooth and warm so he let Felix lead them along, falling into stride beside him. 

They chatted easily. He asked Felix about school and what it was like where he lived and he told him about his own classes. About work and how he and Minho would be rooming together again the next year. Felix seemed familiar with the name, as he did with Jisung when they discussed music, and Changbin thought fondly of Chan telling Felix about his life in Korea. Felix told him about restarting his studies, switching from law to teaching and how he sometimes wished he had been brave enough to just do dance instead. 

Changbin seized upon the opportunity to embarrass the other boy, requesting a demonstration that left him hunched over in laughter as Felix pirouetted along the path, adding in quite an impressive leap for his ending. 

“So, clearly you should be a dancer,” he said once he had managed to stop laughing. 

“Obviously,” Felix agreed, smiling brightly as he held his arms out. “And you should be doing music.”

Changbin grimaced, shaking his head. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do. I’ve heard your songs.”

“Chan’s songs,” Changbin countered. 

“I’ve heard you rap then. And if you argue with that, I will make you do your own demonstration right here right now.”

Changbin rolled his eyes, looking down in embarrassment. “It’s not that simple anyway. It’s not like I don’t want to stay in the family business. I like it, I’m passionate about it… I’m good at it.”

Felix nodded, smiling. “A regular Troy Bolton.”

Changbin looked back at him confused and Felix’s eyebrows shot up. “Troy Bolton… Music or sport… or running a cafe I guess in your case. High school musical? No?”

Changbin shook his head, Felix only looking more insulted. “You have to have seen this movie. It’s New Year’s Eve, he hears the girl singing because they’re soulmates and then they do karaoke… oh my god. How old are you?”

“No. That does sound kind of familiar… I think Jisung was watching it once.”

“Anyway…” Felix continued. “The point was that you could just do both. Did you ever consider that?”

Looking over at him, Changbin smiled. “Both?”

“Why not?” Felix shrugged, his eyes fixing on something past Changbin. “Wait there.”

“Why? Where are you going?”

Felix eyes glistened, grinning mischievously. “We need guidance,” he declared, nodding across the street and Changbin laughed. 

“And a Chinese takeout is going to help how exactly?”

Felix wiggled his eyebrows. 

“Oh no…”

“What?”

“They are not just going to give you fortune cookies.”

Felix looked back, surprised. “How did-... Of course they will! I’m very cute.”

The other boy batted his eyelashes for effect and Changbin laughed as he followed him towards the bright sign, leaning against the wall outside. 

“Good luck.”

Felix shot him a glare before disappearing through the door, and when he returned with his prize, Changbin had to give it to him. 

“They just gave you some?” he asked. 

“I told you, I’m cute. And maybe I had to give them some money… but I’m pretty sure it was the cute thing.”

Laughing, Changbin followed him over to one of the benches that lined the pathway. They sat down and Felix held the two foil packets out to him. After thinking for a moment, Changbin reached out and selected one. 

“What?” he asked at the look on Felix’s face. 

“Nothing,” Felix replied, Changbin sighing at his unconvincing tone of voice. 

“You want this one?”

“No, no… you’ve chosen. You have to keep it.”

Ignoring the fond feeling that spread through him at the little pout Felix sported, Changbin ripped the packing open and cracked the cookie in half, tugging out the little slip of paper. 

He bit back a laugh at the words on the paper, glancing up. 

“What does it say?” Felix asked eagerly. 

“I think this one might be yours after all…” 

Felix cocked his head as Changbin handed the paper over, smiling. He watched, amused as a blush rose on the boy’s face. 

“ _You look pretty_ ,” Felix read, making the statement sound more like a question, a smile tugging at his lips. 

With a shrug, Changbin plucked the other cookie from Felix’s lap. “Like I said, I think that one is yours.”

He could feel the other boy’s eyes on him as he opened the next one, Felix’s face unreadable when he looked back up. Felix stared at him like he was a puzzle, the little slip of paper fluttering between his fingers in the breeze. 

Changbin watched as something settled in his expression, his eyes flicking down quickly and then he was darting forward, pressing their lips together. It was only a quick brush of their mouths, Changbin barely able to register the feeling before the other boy had pulled back, both of their eyes wide. 

His heart quickened in his chest, a million thoughts flashing through his mind, most of which were just _Felix_. Fighting the urge to reach up and feel his own mouth, Changbin blinked back, Felix’s cheeks growing increasingly pinker. 

“Sorry,” he whispered, Changbin’s brain finally clicking into gear enough to shake his head. 

“It’s okay.”

Felix licked his lips and Changbin couldn’t help but watch the movement, his eyes focussing on the shine of his plump bottom lip. 

“Um… What did it say?”

It took Changbin a moment to register what he was talking about, shaking himself out of his thoughts enough to look down at his hands. The cookie had cracked in his grip, his fingers threatening to crumble it completely. Clearing his throat, Changbin let the pieces fall back into the wrapper, unfolding the slip of paper that had been tucked inside. 

“ _Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see shadows_ ,” he read, keeping his eyes down for a little longer than necessary. 

“Good one,” Felix said, nodding, his feet shuffling nervously. 

“Yeah. Nice and open,” Changbin replied with a laugh. 

“I don’t know. I think it means that you should look for the good in things.”

“Or that you shouldn’t just ignore the bad, because the good is easier. Staring at the sun, doesn’t mean the shadows aren’t still there.”

Felix looked across at him, amazed, grabbing one of the cookie halves and popping it into his mouth. “You’re such a pessimist.”

“I am not!”

“No?”

“No, I’m just saying that there are many interpretations,” Changbin argued, waving the piece of paper. 

Felix laughed, folding his own carefully and slipping it in his pocket. “I think mine is quite self explanatory.”

With a laugh, Changbin ate the other half of his cookie and tossed the rubbish into the bin beside them. He dusted off his lap, then stood up, holding out his hand.

“Where now?” Felix asked, Changbin pulling him up. 

“We should probably head back… It’s getting late…”

Felix nodded. “Chan will be worried.”

Changbin hummed in agreement, pulling out his phone as they walked. “I’ll tell him I’m with you and we’re okay.”

They walked in silence, Changbin huffing out a laugh when his phone pinged in response. “They're still on the beach,” he relayed. “Apparently, they’re playing a very competitive game of charades if we want to join them.”

Felix wrinkled his nose and Changbin smiled. “Yeah, me neither.”

They continued walking for a while, the quiet not quite as comfortable as it had been earlier in the evening. Changbin made an effort not to put any extra distance between them, their arms still occasionally brushing as they walked. He didn’t want Felix to feel bad or awkward for kissing him after all. 

Felix looked around and then over at Changbin, his expression much lighter than Changbin had expected with how quiet he had been. 

“Have you had a good holiday?” 

Changbin nodded, feeling a little confused as Felix drifted away from him a little. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, so he kept his distance. “Yeah. It’s going to suck going home tomorrow.”

Felix hummed, something off about his expression, like he was trying not to smile despite his words. “I know. I don’t want to leave either.”

“The cold is going to be a shock,” Changbin said, focusing on the smoother strip of path he was walking along. It felt nicer under his bare feel at least, if a little damp. Damp? It certainly hadn’t rained…

Changbin looked up in alarm, his eyes meeting Felix’s just as water sprayed from under his feet. Changbin let out what could only be described as a squeal, moving to jump out of the way. It wasn’t much use, his entire front already soaking wet, his hair dripping as his eyes found Felix. The other boy was hunched over, laughing hysterically and as Changbin looked around he realised he had been walking through some kind of fountain. 

“You!” he accused. “You knew it was going to do that!”

Felix looked like he was at risk of suffocating, he was laughing so hard, his eyes crinkled shut. “Oh my god. How did you not… No. No, wait!”

Felix held his hands up, pleading as Changbin’s arms circled his waist, lifting the blonde boy easily. 

“Changbin… Binnie. Please…”

Changbin walked quickly, dropping him into the spray, Felix letting out a squeak as he also got soaked, darting out of the way as quickly as possible. He reached out, gripping Changbin’s wrist and tugging him back towards the water, both of them laughing as they lightly wrestled to push one another into the jet. 

“Okay, okay…” Changbin panted, his t-shirt sticking to his skin as he backed away. 

The fountain timed out, the jets of water disappearing once more and he could see that Felix wasn’t fairing much better, his hair dripping into his eyes. 

He quirked an eyebrow, teasing and Felix’s smile faltered, panic passing over his face.

“Oh no…”

“Oh no indeed, Lee Felix,” Changbin warned as the other boy set off running. 

He cackled loudly, Changbin chasing after him until his legs burned and he struggled to breath around his laughter. Sensing his pursuer give up, Felix’s pace slowed, panting as Changbin caught up with him, their grins echoing back at one another. 

“I haven’t ran like that since gym class,” Changbin whined, pressing a hand into his back and wincing. 

“I can tell,” Felix teased, earning himself a glare. 

It didn’t take them long to get back to the resort from there, Felix impersonating Changbin’s surprised expression at the water, and cracking up every few minutes. Changbin let him have it, knowing he would probably have to deal with equal teasing from Chan once he heard about the story. 

He followed Felix automatically, not registering that they were at the other boy’s rental instead of his own until Felix was letting him inside. The layout was almost identical to the house he had been staying in for the last two weeks, the only difference being the colour of the accents in the decoration and the artwork hung on the wall. 

“Do you want some dry clothes?” Felix asked, glancing down at the small puddles they were both currently dripping onto the floor. 

Changbin nodded gratefully. “Or just a towel would be fine.”

Felix nodded, wandering down the hallway and Changbin followed after him, watching as he retrieved two towels from the bathroom and then led them to his bedroom. He handed Changbin one of the towels and Changbin hovered in the doorway, wrapping the towel around his shoulders as Felix routed through a drawer. He’d left his own towel on the bed while he looked for some clothes, the material of his t-shirt not leaving much to the imagination where it stuck wet to his skin, the muscles of his back shifting as he moved. 

Felix stood up straight, not sparing Changbin a glance as he pulled his wet t-shirt over his head and let it drop to the floor with a splat. He was reaching for his towel when their eyes met and Changbin didn’t know what his expression looked like, but he couldn’t have been masking his thoughts well, if Felix’s reaction was anything to go by. 

Changbin stepped forward, clicking the door closed behind him. His steps were sure, closing the gap between them in three quick steps, the towel falling from his shoulders as he walked. And then his hands were reaching for Felix, cupping his cheeks as he pressed their lips together. 

Changbin could definitely feel it this time, Felix quickly recovering from the surprise and kissing him back eagerly. Their mouths moved hurriedly, the press of their lips intoxicating. Changbin backed the other boy up until his back was pressed to the wall, letting out a small whimper. Changbin took the opportunity to lick into his mouth, Felix’s fingers gripping his hips tightly. 

He felt desperate. Like kissing this boy was all he had ever known, and he had suddenly had the sensation ripped away from him. He never wanted to stop. 

Felix used his grip to pull them impossibly closer, gasping against Changbin’s lips when he broke for air. But Changbin was already moving, his head tilting to kiss along the boy’s jaw. Felix felt different under his hands, and familiar at the same time. Changbin had kissed boys before, but not quite like this. Not with intent. And Changbin couldn’t deny that, the sheer _want_ of it curling in his stomach. Felix was already mewling under his touch, Changbin’s tongue swiping against his skin before sucking a bruise onto the spot, and it made him feel a little dizzy. 

Felix tipped his head back, one of his hands tugging needily at the hem of Changbin’s t-shirt. 

“Off,” he ordered, Changbin moving away long enough to oblige, pulling the wet material over his head quickly. 

Felix’s eyes flicked down, a smile pulling at his lips. They had seen each other shirtless countless times that week, swimming or just lying on the sand, but the way Felix’s gaze moved over him appreciatively made Changbin shiver. The other boy’s eyes darkened, his hands returning to Changbin’s hips as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. 

“Is this okay?” Changbin asked, mindlessly reaching up to ease Felix’s lip from between his teeth with the pad on his thumb. 

“Yeah,” Felix replied with a smile, leaning into Changbin’s touch. 

Changbin let his thumb sweep back and forth across the other boy’s cheek a few times, smoothing over the freckles sprinkled there. Felix stared back at him, letting him continue for a moment before turning his head to press a kiss against his palm. It tickled slightly and Changbin giggled, Felix’s eyes crinkling in response. 

“Can I kiss you again?” he asked and Felix nodded, leaning forward to press their mouths back together. 

Letting one of his palms slide down, Felix pressed his hand to Changbin’s chest between them. They stayed like that for a while, figuring out how the other moved, Felix’s confidence growing until he was pulling Changbin’s bottom lip gently between his teeth, both of them smiling against the other’s mouth as their noses nudged together between kisses. 

Despite melting so easily under Changbin’s fingers, he got the impression that Felix was more experienced than he would have expected. His movements were sure, his kisses almost lazy in the way he savoured each moment, each slide of tongue. Changbin wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not, but it forced them to slow down, without ever losing any of the heat that had built between them. 

Pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth and then his jaw, Felix groaned when Changbin’s lips made their way back to his neck, the feel of it vibrating under Changbin’s lips. His skin tasted warm, like sunlight and coconut scented sunscreen and the salt of the ocean and Changbin wanted to burn it into his tongue, Felix’s fingers gripping onto his shoulder hard enough to bruise. 

Moving to connect their mouths again, Felix kissed him deeply, Changbin’s head swimming with the sensations. When Felix’s hips arched towards him, Changbin moaned openly, Felix smiling against his mouth. 

He could almost sense the teasing comment on the other boy’s lips, so Changbin kissed him harder instead, one of his hands finding its way to Felix’s wet hair. It worked out well when he rolled his hips back, his hand saving Felix’s head from the wall as he tipped his head back, his eyes closing in pleasure. 

Changbin smiled at the response, feeling smug until the other boy’s eyes opened. Felix’s chest heaved under his palm, the two of them looking at each other for a moment before Felix was on him. His lips found his neck, making Changbin stumble back a few steps. 

He nibbled and licked until Changbin whimpered, Felix’s mouth moving to attack the hard muscle of his chest. His eyes flicked up, wide and Changbin’s mind blanked as Felix bit down on his lip shyly. Bringing his hand to the boy’s cheek, he pressed his thumb gently against his mouth. 

“Pretty,” the word was no more than a whisper, slipping out before Changbin could stop himself. 

Felix seemed to shine under the compliment, releasing his lip from between his teeth, so that the tip of Changbin‘s thumb slipped into his mouth. Felix’s lips parted just enough that Changbin could feel the wet inside of his lip pressed against the pad of his thumb. 

The image was almost too much, his heart rate picking up as Felix used the hands on his hips to guide him backwards. His knees hit the edge of the bed, and Changbin was pushed down lightly, the other boy sinking to his knees between his legs. 

“Felix…” Changbin said, his voice weak. 

Felix smiled, one hand sliding up his thigh as he leaned up to brush their lips together. 

“Let me?” Felix whispered and Changbin nodded, his fingers curling into the sheets before Felix had even unbuttoned his shorts. 

-

When Felix woke up, it was to the all too cheery sound of Changbin’s alarm. He groaned, pressing his face into the pillow. Maybe Changbin had been right after all, it was too happy for the first thing in the morning. 

“Changbin…” His voice was croaky as he reached out blindly, wanting the other boy to just stop the sound so that he could go back to sleep for a few more minutes. 

His hand met nothing but the bare mattress, and Felix lifted his head, eyes bleary as he looked around. The sound cut off and he leaned up on his elbow, the bed empty beside him. 

The room was silent, Felix slowly sitting up as his heart began to race. It wasn’t only the room that was silent. The hum had never bothered Felix, he’d barely noticed it was there after the first few months, but it’s absence was louder than the sound had ever been. 

Reaching out, Felix fumbled for his phone. He couldn’t remember where it would have ended up the night before. 

He remembered pulling it out of the pocket of his shorts on the floor, hanging off the edge of the bed to reach, as Changbin’s hands had run over his back. Chan had called, checking that they were alright and Felix had mumbled some excuse about watching a movie and Changbin falling asleep. He wasn’t sure why he had lied, Changbin’s lips moving over his shoulder as he hurried to end the conversation and throw the phone away, Changbin pulling him back towards him with a laugh. 

He found his phone under his pillow, rubbing his forehead as he checked the time. 6:32am. Fuck. That was certainly Changbin’s alarm, and yet the other boy was decidedly not here. Felix’s eyes closed as the pieces slotted together in his mind, a smile involuntarily pulling at his lips. That was until he looked down at the bare space beside him. A quick look around told him that the boy’s clothes that had littered the floor were gone too. 

Felix frowned, crossing his legs and grabbing his phone to find Chan’s contact. 

_Morning. Did Changbin come back to yours?_

Chan only took a few seconds to reply, surprising Felix giving the hour of the morning. 

_Yeah. He left about 10 minutes ago. I can’t believe he got the time of his flight wrong. What an idiot!_

_He’s gone home?_

_Yeah. He said he’d said goodbye to you..?_

Something twisted in Felix’s stomach, the boy pulling his lip between his teeth as he typed.

_Right. I was just wondering if he’d left yet. He forgot something, but it’s not important._

_Ah. Okay. Just give it to me and I can pass it along._

_:)_

_Want to get breakfast?_

Felix’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, his lip wobbling as a tear slipped down his cheek.

_Maybe brunch or something later._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter took me a while, but I wanted to give Changlix's backstory justice and I actually really enjoyed writing Changbin, so maybe I'll do more in the future. Don't worry though, we'll be back to the main story in the next chapter!
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](https://iyouleeknow.tumblr.com/), so come and say hi!


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